Reciprocal optical tracking system and methods thereof

ABSTRACT

Methods, non-transitory computer readable media, tracker devices, central processor devices, and optical tracking systems that facilitate improved optical tracking in surgical environments are disclosed. With this technology, background images are captured within an acquisition sequence. The background images are used to analyze the quality of current images that are captured in the acquisition sequence and to determine an angular position of optical sensor modules of optical tracker devices with respect to light sources coupled to a reference frame that can be integral with an opposing one of the tracker devices. Using multiple tracking devices facilitates a reciprocal angular position determination that is more accurate and can withstand occlusion of an optical sensor module. This technology generates alerts when fiducials are obscured at the tracker device and facilitates improved accuracy with respect to pose data used by surgical applications for automated manipulation of surgical tools and surgical visualization.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 63/008,020, filed on Apr. 10, 2020, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to methods, systems, andapparatuses related to a computer-assisted surgical system that includesvarious hardware and software components that work together to enhancesurgical workflows. The disclosed techniques may be applied to, forexample, shoulder, hip, and knee arthroplasties, as well as othersurgical interventions such as arthroscopic procedures, spinalprocedures, neuro procedures, dental procedures, maxillofacialprocedures, rotator cuff procedures, ligament repair and replacementprocedures.

BACKGROUND

Optical tracking systems are often used in surgical environments totrack the location of surgical devices and/or patient anatomy. Inconventional optical tracking systems, markers or fiducials areilluminated, and the reflected light is captured by a (stereo-)camera orother sensing device to facilitate triangulation of position and/ororientation data for the associated fiducials. The position andorientation data, which is also referred to as pose data, can be used bysurgical software applications to automatically control robotic surgicalinstruments and/or assist the surgeon during a surgical procedure (e.g.improve visibility of the anatomy).

However, optical tracking systems generally require a line of sightbetween the sensing device and the fiducials, which can be obscuredduring a surgical procedure. For example, a fiducial can be physicallyobscured as a result of a surgeon or surgical object in the surgicalenvironment blocking the line of sight between the sensing device andthe fiducial. Optical tracking systems have been developed in which thefiducial is configured with a sensor to sense light (e.g., in theinfrared range) output by a light source. However, such systems can besusceptible to sun reflection entering the surgical environment, whichcan “blind” the fiducial and thereby obscure the sensor.

Accordingly, current optical tracking systems are often ineffectiveand/or inaccurate, which can negatively impact surgical procedurequality and patient outcomes. Additionally, many optical trackingsystems are expensive, requiring reuse and increasing contamination riskin surgical environments, and/or bulky, requiring increased physicalstorage capacity and inhibiting surgeon and/or surgical device movementduring surgical procedures, among other deficiencies.

SUMMARY

Methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and optical trackingsystems are illustrated that improve optical tracking in surgicalenvironments. According to certain embodiments, a system is disclosedthat includes a first tracker device including first and second opticalsensor modules, a first non-transitory computer readable mediumcomprising first instructions stored thereon and a first processorcoupled to the first non-transitory computer-readable medium. The firstprocessor is configured to execute the stored first instructions tocapture first and second sets of one or more background images, andfirst and second sets of current images, using the first and secondoptical sensor modules, respectively. The first and second sets ofcurrent images each include first, second, and third current imagescaptured when first, second, and third light sources are enabled,respectively. Additionally, the first and second sets of one or morebackground images are captured when none of the light sources isenabled.

A determination is then made as to whether a quality of at least one ofthe first, second, or third current images in at least one of the firstor second sets of current images is below a threshold quality level. Thedetermination in some examples is based on a comparison of each of thefirst, second, and third current images in each of the first and secondsets of current images to one or more of the one or more backgroundimages in the first and second sets of one or more background images,respectively. An alert is output when the determination indicates thequality of at least one of the first, second, or third current images inat least one of the first or second sets of current images is below thethreshold quality level.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to generate an angular positionof each of the light sources based on one or more of the first or secondsets of current images.

According to some embodiments, the optical tracking system furtherincludes a central processor device. The first processor in theseembodiments is further configured to execute the stored firstinstructions to send the generated angular position to the centralprocessor device. The central processor device includes a secondnon-transitory computer readable medium comprising second instructionsstored thereon and a second processor coupled to the secondnon-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to execute thestored second instructions to generate a pose of the first trackerdevice based on the angular position of each of the light sources.

According to some embodiments, the optical tracking system furtherincludes a central processor device and the first processor is furtherconfigured to execute the stored first instructions to generate a poseof the first tracker device based on the generated angular position ofeach of the light sources and send the pose to the central processordevice.

According to some embodiments, the optical tracking system furtherincludes a central processor device including a second non-transitorycomputer readable medium comprising second instructions stored thereonand a second processor coupled to the second non-transitorycomputer-readable medium and configured to execute the stored secondinstructions to automatically control one or more surgical instruments,or update a display output to a display device, based on a pose of thefirst tracker device determined based on the generated angular positionof each of the light sources.

According to some embodiments, the optical tracking system furtherincludes a reference frame external to the first tracker device. Thereference frame includes the light sources. In these embodiments, theoptical tracking system further includes a driver coupled to thereference frame and including an electronic circuit configured toalternately enable the light sources in sequence The first processor isfurther configured to execute the stored first instructions tosynchronize the capture of the first and second sets of one or morebackground images, or first and second sets of current images, with thedriver

According to some embodiments, the optical tracking system furtherincludes a second tracker device including the light sources, a thirdnon-transitory computer readable medium comprising third instructionsstored thereon, and a third processor coupled to the thirdnon-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to execute thestored third instructions to alternately enable the light sources insequence. The third processor is further configured to execute the thirdinstructions in these embodiments to synchronize the enablement of thelight sources with the capture of the first and second sets of one ormore background images, or first and second sets of current images, bythe first tracker device.

According to some embodiments, the one or more background images in eachof the first and second sets of one or more background images comprisefirst, second, and third background images. In these embodiments, thefirst processor is further configured to execute the stored firstinstructions to alternately capture the first, second, and thirdbackground images in each of the first and second sets of backgroundimages with respect to the first, second, and third current images inthe first and second sets of current images, respectively. Additionally,the quality of the first, second, and third current images in each ofthe first and second sets of current images is determined based on acomparison of each of the first, second, and third current images ineach of the first and second sets of current images to one of the first,second, or third background images in one of the first or second sets ofbackground images captured immediately prior to the capture of thefirst, second, and third current images in each of the first and secondsets of current images, respectively.

According to some embodiments, the one or more background images in eachof the first and second sets of one or more background images comprise afirst background image and a second background image In theseembodiments, the first processor is further configured to execute thestored first instructions to capture the first and second backgroundimages prior to capture of the first, second, and third current imagesin the first and second sets of current images, respectively.Additionally, the quality of the first, second, and third current imagesin each of the first and second sets of current images is determinedbased on a comparison of each of the first, second, and third currentimages in each of the first and second sets of current images to thefirst and second background images, respectively.

According to some embodiments, the first tracker device further includesan alert indicator and the first processor is further configured toexecute the stored first instructions to illuminate the alert indicatorto output the alert. The output alert includes an indication of one ofthe first or second optical sensor modules that captured the at leastone of the first, second, or third current images in the at least one ofthe first or second sets of current images that is below the thresholdquality level.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to send an alert message to acentral processor device to output the alert, wherein the alert messagecomprises another indication of one of the first or second opticalsensor modules that captured the at least one of the first, second, orthird current images in the at least one of the first or second sets ofcurrent images that is below the threshold quality level.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to determine whether anacquisition sequence is completed based on whether the first and secondsets of one or more background images, and first and second sets ofcurrent images, have been captured. A determination is then made as towhether the quality of the at least one of the first, second, or thirdcurrent images in the at least one of the first or second sets ofcurrent images is below the threshold quality level, when thedetermination indicates the acquisition sequence is completed.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to determine whether sufficientdata has been obtained via the first and second sets of current imagesbased on whether the determination indicates the quality of at least oneof the first, second, or third current images in both of the first orsecond sets of current images is below the threshold quality level.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to repeat at least the captureof the first and second sets of one or more background images, and firstand second sets of current images, and the determination of whether thequality of the at least one of the first, second, or third currentimages in the at least one of the first or second sets of current imagesis below the threshold quality level, when the determination indicatesinsufficient data has been obtained via the first and second sets ofcurrent images.

According to some embodiments, the first processor is further configuredto execute the stored first instructions to determine whether thequality of the at least one of the first, second, or third currentimages in the at least one of the first or second sets of current imagesis below a threshold quality level further based on one or more of adifference in one or more pixel values, saturation level, orsignal-to-noise ratio between corresponding ones of the first and secondsets of one or more background images and first and second sets ofcurrent images.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part ofthe specification, illustrate the embodiments of the invention andtogether with the written description serve to explain the principles,characteristics, and features of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts an operating theatre including an illustrativecomputer-assisted surgical system (CASS) in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of an electromagnetic sensor device accordingto some embodiments.

FIG. 3A depicts an alternative example of an electromagnetic sensordevice, with three perpendicular coils, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3B depicts an alternative example of an electromagnetic sensordevice, with two nonparallel, affixed coils, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 3C depicts an alternative example of an electromagnetic sensordevice, with two nonparallel, separate coils, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts an example of electromagnetic sensor devices and apatient bone according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5A depicts illustrative control instructions that a surgicalcomputer provides to other components of a CASS in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 5B depicts illustrative control instructions that components of aCASS provide to a surgical computer in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5C depicts an illustrative implementation in which a surgicalcomputer is connected to a surgical data server via a network inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 depicts an operative patient care system and illustrative datasources in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7A depicts an illustrative flow diagram for determining apre-operative surgical plan in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7B depicts an illustrative flow diagram for determining an episodeof care including pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-operativeactions in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7C depicts illustrative graphical user interfaces including imagesdepicting an implant placement in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 8A depicts an exemplary optical tracking system in accordance withan embodiment.

FIG. 8B depicts another exemplary optical tracking system in accordancewith an embodiment.

FIG. 9 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary tracker device inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 10 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary central processor devicein accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 11 depicts a sequence diagram illustrating an acquisition sequencefor an exemplary reciprocal optical tracking system including twotracker devices and a reference frame with three light sources inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 12 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary method for determiningangular position data by a tracker device using background images inaccordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 13 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary method for posedetermination using a central processor device in accordance with anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is not limited to the particular systems, devices andmethods described, as these may vary. The terminology used in thedescription is for the purpose of describing the particular versions orembodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope.

As used in this document, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skillin the art. Nothing in this disclosure is to be construed as anadmission that the embodiments described in this disclosure are notentitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. Asused in this document, the term “comprising” means “including, but notlimited to.”

Definitions

For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “implant” is used to referto a prosthetic device or structure manufactured to replace or enhance abiological structure. For example, in a total hip replacement procedurea prosthetic acetabular cup (implant) is used to replace or enhance apatients worn or damaged acetabulum. While the term “implant” isgenerally considered to denote a man-made structure (as contrasted witha transplant), for the purposes of this specification an implant caninclude a biological tissue or material transplanted to replace orenhance a biological structure.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “real-time” is used torefer to calculations or operations performed on-the-fly as events occuror input is received by the operable system. However, the use of theterm “real-time” is not intended to preclude operations that cause somelatency between input and response, so long as the latency is anunintended consequence induced by the performance characteristics of themachine.

Although much of this disclosure refers to surgeons or other medicalprofessionals by specific job title or role, nothing in this disclosureis intended to be limited to a specific job title or function. Surgeonsor medical professionals can include any doctor, nurse, medicalprofessional, or technician. Any of these terms or job titles can beused interchangeably with the user of the systems disclosed hereinunless otherwise explicitly demarcated. For example, a reference to asurgeon also could apply, in some embodiments to a technician or nurse.

The systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein are particularly welladapted for surgical procedures that utilize surgical navigationsystems, such as the NAVIO® surgical navigation system. NAVIO is aregistered trademark of BLUE BELT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. of Pittsburgh, Pa.,which is a subsidiary of SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. of Memphis, Tenn.

CASS Ecosystem Overview

FIG. 1 provides an illustration of an example computer-assisted surgicalsystem (CASS) 100, according to some embodiments. As described infurther detail in the sections that follow, the CASS uses computers,robotics, and imaging technology to aid surgeons in performingorthopedic surgery procedures such as total knee arthroplasty (TKA) ortotal hip arthroplasty (THA). For example, surgical navigation systemscan aid surgeons in locating patient anatomical structures, guidingsurgical instruments, and implanting medical devices with a high degreeof accuracy. Surgical navigation systems such as the CASS 100 oftenemploy various forms of computing technology to perform a wide varietyof standard and minimally invasive surgical procedures and techniques.Moreover, these systems allow surgeons to more accurately plan, trackand navigate the placement of instruments and implants relative to thebody of a patient, as well as conduct pre-operative and intra-operativebody imaging.

An Effector Platform 105 positions surgical tools relative to a patientduring surgery. The exact components of the Effector Platform 105 willvary, depending on the embodiment employed. For example, for a kneesurgery, the Effector Platform 105 may include an End Effector 105B thatholds surgical tools or instruments during their use. The End Effector105B may be a handheld device or instrument used by the surgeon (e.g., aNAVIO® hand piece or a cutting guide or jig) or, alternatively, the EndEffector 105B can include a device or instrument held or positioned by aRobotic Arm 105A. While one Robotic Arm 105A is illustrated in FIG. 1,in some embodiments there may be multiple devices. As examples, theremay be one Robotic Arm 105A on each side of an operating table T or twodevices on one side of the table T. The Robotic Arm 105A may be mounteddirectly to the table T, be located next to the table T on a floorplatform (not shown), mounted on a floor-to-ceiling pole, or mounted ona wall or ceiling of an operating room. The floor platform may be fixedor moveable. In one particular embodiment, the robotic arm 105A ismounted on a floor-to-ceiling pole located between the patient's legs orfeet. In some embodiments, the End Effector 105B may include a sutureholder or a stapler to assist in closing wounds. Further, in the case oftwo robotic arms 105A, the surgical computer 150 can drive the roboticarms 105A to work together to suture the wound at closure.Alternatively, the surgical computer 150 can drive one or more roboticarms 105A to staple the wound at closure.

The Effector Platform 105 can include a Limb Positioner 105C forpositioning the patient's limbs during surgery. One example of a LimbPositioner 105C is the SMITH AND NEPHEW SPIDER2 system. The LimbPositioner 105C may be operated manually by the surgeon or alternativelychange limb positions based on instructions received from the SurgicalComputer 150 (described below). While one Limb Positioner 105C isillustrated in FIG. 1, in some embodiments there may be multipledevices. As examples, there may be one Limb Positioner 105C on each sideof the operating table T or two devices on one side of the table T. TheLimb Positioner 105C may be mounted directly to the table T, be locatednext to the table T on a floor platform (not shown), mounted on a pole,or mounted on a wall or ceiling of an operating room. In someembodiments, the Limb Positioner 105C can be used in non-conventionalways, such as a retractor or specific bone holder. The Limb Positioner105C may include, as examples, an ankle boot, a soft tissue clamp, abone clamp, or a soft-tissue retractor spoon, such as a hooked, curved,or angled blade. In some embodiments, the Limb Positioner 105C mayinclude a suture holder to assist in closing wounds.

The Effector Platform 105 may include tools, such as a screwdriver,light or laser, to indicate an axis or plane, bubble level, pin driver,pin puller, plane checker, pointer, finger, or some combination thereof.

Resection Equipment 110 (not shown in FIG. 1) performs bone or tissueresection using, for example, mechanical, ultrasonic, or lasertechniques. Examples of Resection Equipment 110 include drillingdevices, burring devices, oscillatory sawing devices, vibratoryimpaction devices, reamers, ultrasonic bone cutting devices, radiofrequency ablation devices, reciprocating devices (such as a rasp orbroach), and laser ablation systems. In some embodiments, the ResectionEquipment 110 is held and operated by the surgeon during surgery. Inother embodiments, the Effector Platform 105 may be used to hold theResection Equipment 110 during use.

The Effector Platform 105 also can include a cutting guide or jig 105Dthat is used to guide saws or drills used to resect tissue duringsurgery. Such cutting guides 105D can be formed integrally as part ofthe Effector Platform 105 or Robotic Arm 105A, or cutting guides can beseparate structures that can be matingly and/or removably attached tothe Effector Platform 105 or Robotic Arm 105A. The Effector Platform 105or Robotic Arm 105A can be controlled by the CASS 100 to position acutting guide or jig 105D adjacent to the patient's anatomy inaccordance with a pre-operatively or intraoperatively developed surgicalplan such that the cutting guide or jig will produce a precise bone cutin accordance with the surgical plan.

The Tracking System 115 uses one or more sensors to collect real-timeposition data that locates the patient's anatomy and surgicalinstruments. For example, for TKA procedures, the Tracking System mayprovide a location and orientation of the End Effector 105B during theprocedure. In addition to positional data, data from the Tracking System115 also can be used to infer velocity/acceleration ofanatomy/instrumentation, which can be used for tool control. In someembodiments, the Tracking System 115 may use a tracker array attached tothe End Effector 105B to determine the location and orientation of theEnd Effector 105B. The position of the End Effector 105B may be inferredbased on the position and orientation of the Tracking System 115 and aknown relationship in three-dimensional space between the TrackingSystem 115 and the End Effector 105B. Various types of tracking systemsmay be used in various embodiments of the present invention including,without limitation, Infrared (IR) tracking systems, electromagnetic (EM)tracking systems, video or image based tracking systems, and ultrasoundregistration and tracking systems. Using the data provided by thetracking system 115, the surgical computer 150 can detect objects andprevent collision. For example, the surgical computer 150 can preventthe Robotic Arm 105A and/or the End Effector 105B from colliding withsoft tissue.

Any suitable tracking system can be used for tracking surgical objectsand patient anatomy in the surgical theatre. For example, a combinationof IR and visible light cameras can be used in an array. Variousillumination sources, such as an IR LED light source, can illuminate thescene allowing three-dimensional imaging to occur. In some embodiments,this can include stereoscopic, tri-scopic, quad-scopic, etc. imaging. Inaddition to the camera array, which in some embodiments is affixed to acart, additional cameras can be placed throughout the surgical theatre.For example, handheld tools or headsets worn by operators/surgeons caninclude imaging capability that communicates images back to a centralprocessor to correlate those images with images captured by the cameraarray. This can give a more robust image of the environment for modelingusing multiple perspectives. Furthermore, some imaging devices may be ofsuitable resolution or have a suitable perspective on the scene to pickup information stored in quick response (QR) codes or barcodes. This canbe helpful in identifying specific objects not manually registered withthe system. In some embodiments, the camera may be mounted on theRobotic Arm 105A.

Although, as discussed herein, the majority of tracking and/ornavigation techniques utilize image-based tracking systems (e.g., IRtracking systems, video or image based tracking systems, etc.). However,electromagnetic (EM) based tracking systems are becoming more common fora variety of reasons. For example, implantation of standard opticaltrackers requires tissue resection (e.g., down to the cortex) as well assubsequent drilling and driving of cortical pins. Additionally, becauseoptical trackers require a direct line of sight with a tracking system,the placement of such trackers may need to be far from the surgical siteto ensure they do not restrict the movement of a surgeon or medicalprofessional.

Generally, EM based tracking devices include one or more wire coils anda reference field generator. The one or more wire coils may be energized(e.g., via a wired or wireless power supply). Once energized, the coilcreates an electromagnetic field that can be detected and measured(e.g., by the reference field generator or an additional device) in amanner that allows for the location and orientation of the one or morewire coils to be determined. As should be understood by someone ofordinary skill in the art, a single coil, such as is shown in FIG. 2, islimited to detecting five (5) total degrees-of-freedom (DOF). Forexample, sensor 200 may be able to track/determine movement in the X, Y,or Z direction, as well as rotation around the Y-axis 202 or Z-axis 201.However, because of the electromagnetic properties of a coil, it is notpossible to properly track rotational movement around the X axis.

Accordingly, in most electromagnetic tracking applications, a three coilsystem, such as that shown in FIG. 3A is used to enable tracking in allsix degrees of freedom that are possible for a rigid body moving in athree-dimensional space (i.e., forward/backward 310, up/down 320,left/right 330, roll 340, pitch 350, and yaw 360). However, theinclusion of two additional coils and the 90° offset angles at whichthey are positioned may require the tracking device to be much larger.Alternatively, as one of skill in the art would know, less than threefull coils may be used to track all 6DOF. In some EM based trackingdevices, two coils may be affixed to each other, such as is shown inFIG. 3B. Because the two coils 301B and 302B are rigidly affixed to eachother, not perfectly parallel, and have locations that are knownrelative to each other, it is possible to determine the sixth degree offreedom 303B with this arrangement.

Although the use of two affixed coils (e.g., 301B and 302B) allows forEM based tracking in 6DOF, the sensor device is substantially larger indiameter than a single coil because of the additional coil. Thus, thepractical application of using an EM based tracking system in a surgicalenvironment may require tissue resection and drilling of a portion ofthe patient bone to allow for insertion of a EM tracker. Alternatively,in some embodiments, it may be possible to implant/insert a single coil,or 5DOF EM tracking device, into a patient bone using only a pin (e.g.,without the need to drill or carve out substantial bone).

Thus, as described herein, a solution is needed for which the use of anEM tracking system can be restricted to devices small enough to beinserted/embedded using a small diameter needle or pin (i.e., withoutthe need to create a new incision or large diameter opening in thebone). Accordingly, in some embodiments, a second 5DOF sensor, which isnot attached to the first, and thus has a small diameter, may be used totrack all 6DOF. Referring now to FIG. 3C, in some embodiments, two 5DOFEM sensors (e.g., 301C and 302C) may be inserted into the patient (e.g.,in a patient bone) at different locations and with different angularorientations (e.g., angle 303C is non-zero).

Referring now to FIG. 4, an example embodiment is shown in which a first5DOF EM sensor 401 and a second 5DOF EM sensor 402 are inserted into thepatient bone 403 using a standard hollow needle 405 that is typical inmost OR(s). In a further embodiment, the first sensor 401 and the secondsensor 402 may have an angle offset of “α” 404. In some embodiments, itmay be necessary for the offset angle “α” 404 to be greater than apredetermined value (e.g., a minimum angle of 0.50°, 0.75°, etc.). Thisminimum value may, in some embodiments, be determined by the CASS andprovided to the surgeon or medical professional during the surgicalplan. In some embodiments, a minimum value may be based on one or morefactors, such as, for example, the orientation accuracy of the trackingsystem, a distance between the first and second EM sensors. The locationof the field generator, a location of the field detector, a type of EMsensor, a quality of the EM sensor, patient anatomy, and the like.

Accordingly, as discussed herein, in some embodiments, a pin/needle(e.g., a cannulated mounting needle, etc.) may be used to insert one ormore EM sensors. Generally, the pin/needle would be a disposablecomponent, while the sensors themselves may be reusable. However, itshould be understood that this is only one potential system, and thatvarious other systems may be used in which the pin/needle and/or EMsensors are independently disposable or reusable. In a furtherembodiment, the EM sensors may be affixed to the mounting needle/pin(e.g., using a luer-lock fitting or the like), which can allow for quickassembly and disassembly. In additional embodiments, the EM sensors mayutilize an alternative sleeve and/or anchor system that allows forminimally invasive placement of the sensors.

In another embodiment, the above systems may allow for a multi-sensornavigation system that can detect and correct for field distortions thatplague electromagnetic tracking systems. It should be understood thatfield distortions may result from movement of any ferromagneticmaterials within the reference field. Thus, as one of ordinary skill inthe art would know, a typical OR has a large number of devices (e.g., anoperating table, LCD displays, lighting equipment, imaging systems,surgical instruments, etc.) that may cause interference. Furthermore,field distortions are notoriously difficult to detect. The use ofmultiple EM sensors enables the system to detect field distortionsaccurately, and/or to warn a user that the current position measurementsmay not be accurate. Because the sensors are rigidly fixed to the bonyanatomy (e.g., via the pin/needle), relative measurement of sensorpositions (X, Y, Z) may be used to detect field distortions. By way ofnon-limiting example, in some embodiments, after the EM sensors arefixed to the bone, the relative distance between the two sensors isknown and should remain constant. Thus, any change in this distancecould indicate the presence of a field distortion.

In some embodiments, specific objects can be manually registered by asurgeon with the system preoperatively or intraoperatively. For example,by interacting with a user interface, a surgeon may identify thestarting location for a tool or a bone structure. By tracking fiducialmarks associated with that tool or bone structure, or by using otherconventional image tracking modalities, a processor may track that toolor bone as it moves through the environment in a three-dimensionalmodel.

In some embodiments, certain markers, such as fiducial marks thatidentify individuals, important tools, or bones in the theater mayinclude passive or active identifiers that can be picked up by a cameraor camera array associated with the tracking system. For example, an IRLED can flash a pattern that conveys a unique identifier to the sourceof that pattern, providing a dynamic identification mark. Similarly, oneor two dimensional optical codes (barcode, QR code, etc.) can be affixedto objects in the theater to provide passive identification that canoccur based on image analysis. If these codes are placed asymmetricallyon an object, they also can be used to determine an orientation of anobject by comparing the location of the identifier with the extents ofan object in an image. For example, a QR code may be placed in a cornerof a tool tray, allowing the orientation and identity of that tray to betracked. Other tracking modalities are explained throughout. Forexample, in some embodiments, augmented reality headsets can be worn bysurgeons and other staff to provide additional camera angles andtracking capabilities.

In addition to optical tracking, certain features of objects can betracked by registering physical properties of the object and associatingthem with objects that can be tracked, such as fiducial marks fixed to atool or bone. For example, a surgeon may perform a manual registrationprocess whereby a tracked tool and a tracked bone can be manipulatedrelative to one another. By impinging the tip of the tool against thesurface of the bone, a three-dimensional surface can be mapped for thatbone that is associated with a position and orientation relative to theframe of reference of that fiducial mark. By optically tracking theposition and orientation (pose) of the fiducial mark associated withthat bone, a model of that surface can be tracked with an environmentthrough extrapolation.

The registration process that registers the CASS 100 to the relevantanatomy of the patient also can involve the use of anatomical landmarks,such as landmarks on a bone or cartilage. For example, the CASS 100 caninclude a 3D model of the relevant bone or joint and the surgeon canintraoperatively collect data regarding the location of bony landmarkson the patient's actual bone using a probe that is connected to theCASS. Bony landmarks can include, for example, the medial malleolus andlateral malleolus, the ends of the proximal femur and distal tibia, andthe center of the hip joint. The CASS 100 can compare and register thelocation data of bony landmarks collected by the surgeon with the probewith the location data of the same landmarks in the 3D model.Alternatively, the CASS 100 can construct a 3D model of the bone orjoint without pre-operative image data by using location data of bonylandmarks and the bone surface that are collected by the surgeon using aCASS probe or other means. The registration process also can includedetermining various axes of a joint. For example, for a TKA the surgeoncan use the CASS 100 to determine the anatomical and mechanical axes ofthe femur and tibia. The surgeon and the CASS 100 can identify thecenter of the hip joint by moving the patient's leg in a spiraldirection (i.e., circumduction) so the CASS can determine where thecenter of the hip joint is located.

A Tissue Navigation System 120 (not shown in FIG. 1) provides thesurgeon with intraoperative, real-time visualization for the patient'sbone, cartilage, muscle, nervous, and/or vascular tissues surroundingthe surgical area. Examples of systems that may be employed for tissuenavigation include fluorescent imaging systems and ultrasound systems.

The Display 125 provides graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that displayimages collected by the Tissue Navigation System 120 as well otherinformation relevant to the surgery. For example, in one embodiment, theDisplay 125 overlays image information collected from various modalities(e.g., CT, MRI, X-ray, fluorescent, ultrasound, etc.) collectedpre-operatively or intra-operatively to give the surgeon various viewsof the patient's anatomy as well as real-time conditions. The Display125 may include, for example, one or more computer monitors. As analternative or supplement to the Display 125, one or more members of thesurgical staff may wear an Augmented Reality (AR) Head Mounted Device(HMD). For example, in FIG. 1 the Surgeon 111 is wearing an AR HMD 155that may, for example, overlay pre-operative image data on the patientor provide surgical planning suggestions. Various example uses of the ARHMD 155 in surgical procedures are detailed in the sections that follow.

Surgical Computer 150 provides control instructions to variouscomponents of the CASS 100, collects data from those components, andprovides general processing for various data needed during surgery. Insome embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 is a general purposecomputer. In other embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 may be aparallel computing platform that uses multiple central processing units(CPUs) or graphics processing units (GPU) to perform processing. In someembodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 is connected to a remote serverover one or more computer networks (e.g., the Internet). The remoteserver can be used, for example, for storage of data or execution ofcomputationally intensive processing tasks.

Various techniques generally known in the art can be used for connectingthe Surgical Computer 150 to the other components of the CASS 100.Moreover, the computers can connect to the Surgical Computer 150 using amix of technologies. For example, the End Effector 105B may connect tothe Surgical Computer 150 over a wired (i.e., serial) connection. TheTracking System 115, Tissue Navigation System 120, and Display 125 cansimilarly be connected to the Surgical Computer 150 using wiredconnections. Alternatively, the Tracking System 115, Tissue NavigationSystem 120, and Display 125 may connect to the Surgical Computer 150using wireless technologies such as, without limitation, Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), or ZigBee.

Powered Impaction and Acetabular Reamer Devices

Part of the flexibility of the CASS design described above with respectto FIG. 1 is that additional or alternative devices can be added to theCASS 100 as necessary to support particular surgical procedures. Forexample, in the context of hip surgeries, the CASS 100 may include apowered impaction device. Impaction devices are designed to repeatedlyapply an impaction force that the surgeon can use to perform activitiessuch as implant alignment. For example, within a total hip arthroplasty(THA), a surgeon will often insert a prosthetic acetabular cup into theimplant host's acetabulum using an impaction device. Although impactiondevices can be manual in nature (e.g., operated by the surgeon strikingan impactor with a mallet), powered impaction devices are generallyeasier and quicker to use in the surgical setting. Powered impactiondevices may be powered, for example, using a battery attached to thedevice. Various attachment pieces may be connected to the poweredimpaction device to allow the impaction force to be directed in variousways as needed during surgery. Also, in the context of hip surgeries,the CASS 100 may include a powered, robotically controlled end effectorto ream the acetabulum to accommodate an acetabular cup implant.

In a robotically-assisted THA, the patient's anatomy can be registeredto the CASS 100 using CT or other image data, the identification ofanatomical landmarks, tracker arrays attached to the patient's bones,and one or more cameras. Tracker arrays can be mounted on the iliaccrest using clamps and/or bone pins and such trackers can be mountedexternally through the skin or internally (either posterolaterally oranterolaterally) through the incision made to perform the THA. For aTHA, the CASS 100 can utilize one or more femoral cortical screwsinserted into the proximal femur as checkpoints to aid in theregistration process. The CASS 100 also can utilize one or morecheckpoint screws inserted into the pelvis as additional checkpoints toaid in the registration process. Femoral tracker arrays can be securedto or mounted in the femoral cortical screws. The CASS 100 can employsteps where the registration is verified using a probe that the surgeonprecisely places on key areas of the proximal femur and pelvisidentified for the surgeon on the display 125. Trackers can be locatedon the robotic arm 105A or end effector 105B to register the arm and/orend effector to the CASS 100. The verification step also can utilizeproximal and distal femoral checkpoints. The CASS 100 can utilize colorprompts or other prompts to inform the surgeon that the registrationprocess for the relevant bones and the robotic arm 105A or end effector105B has been verified to a certain degree of accuracy (e.g., within 1mm).

For a THA, the CASS 100 can include a broach tracking option usingfemoral arrays to allow the surgeon to intraoperatively capture thebroach position and orientation and calculate hip length and offsetvalues for the patient. Based on information provided about thepatient's hip joint and the planned implant position and orientationafter broach tracking is completed, the surgeon can make modificationsor adjustments to the surgical plan.

For a robotically-assisted THA, the CASS 100 can include one or morepowered reamers connected or attached to a robotic arm 105A or endeffector 105B that prepares the pelvic bone to receive an acetabularimplant according to a surgical plan. The robotic arm 105A and/or endeffector 105B can inform the surgeon and/or control the power of thereamer to ensure that the acetabulum is being resected (reamed) inaccordance with the surgical plan. For example, if the surgeon attemptsto resect bone outside of the boundary of the bone to be resected inaccordance with the surgical plan, the CASS 100 can power off the reameror instruct the surgeon to power off the reamer. The CASS 100 canprovide the surgeon with an option to turn off or disengage the roboticcontrol of the reamer. The display 125 can depict the progress of thebone being resected (reamed) as compared to the surgical plan usingdifferent colors. The surgeon can view the display of the bone beingresected (reamed) to guide the reamer to complete the reaming inaccordance with the surgical plan. The CASS 100 can provide visual oraudible prompts to the surgeon to warn the surgeon that resections arebeing made that are not in accordance with the surgical plan.

Following reaming, the CASS 100 can employ a manual or powered impactorthat is attached or connected to the robotic arm 105A or end effector105B to impact trial implants and final implants into the acetabulum.The robotic arm 105A and/or end effector 105B can be used to guide theimpactor to impact the trial and final implants into the acetabulum inaccordance with the surgical plan. The CASS 100 can cause the positionand orientation of the trial and final implants vis-à-vis the bone to bedisplayed to inform the surgeon as to how the trial and final implant'sorientation and position compare to the surgical plan, and the display125 can show the implant's position and orientation as the surgeonmanipulates the leg and hip. The CASS 100 can provide the surgeon withthe option of re-planning and re-doing the reaming and implant impactionby preparing a new surgical plan if the surgeon is not satisfied withthe original implant position and orientation.

Preoperatively, the CASS 100 can develop a proposed surgical plan basedon a three dimensional model of the hip joint and other informationspecific to the patient, such as the mechanical and anatomical axes ofthe leg bones, the epicondylar axis, the femoral neck axis, thedimensions (e.g., length) of the femur and hip, the midline axis of thehip joint, the ASIS axis of the hip joint, and the location ofanatomical landmarks such as the lesser trochanter landmarks, the distallandmark, and the center of rotation of the hip joint. TheCASS-developed surgical plan can provide a recommended optimal implantsize and implant position and orientation based on the three dimensionalmodel of the hip joint and other information specific to the patient.The CASS-developed surgical plan can include proposed details on offsetvalues, inclination and anteversion values, center of rotation, cupsize, medialization values, superior-inferior fit values, femoral stemsizing and length.

For a THA, the CASS-developed surgical plan can be viewed preoperativelyand intraoperatively, and the surgeon can modify CASS-developed surgicalplan preoperatively or intraoperatively. The CASS-developed surgicalplan can display the planned resection to the hip joint and superimposethe planned implants onto the hip joint based on the planned resections.The CASS 100 can provide the surgeon with options for different surgicalworkflows that will be displayed to the surgeon based on a surgeon'spreference. For example, the surgeon can choose from different workflowsbased on the number and types of anatomical landmarks that are checkedand captured and/or the location and number of tracker arrays used inthe registration process.

According to some embodiments, a powered impaction device used with theCASS 100 may operate with a variety of different settings. In someembodiments, the surgeon adjusts settings through a manual switch orother physical mechanism on the powered impaction device. In otherembodiments, a digital interface may be used that allows setting entry,for example, via a touchscreen on the powered impaction device. Such adigital interface may allow the available settings to vary based, forexample, on the type of attachment piece connected to the powerattachment device. In some embodiments, rather than adjusting thesettings on the powered impaction device itself, the settings can bechanged through communication with a robot or other computer systemwithin the CASS 100. Such connections may be established using, forexample, a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi networking module on the powered impactiondevice. In another embodiment, the impaction device and end pieces maycontain features that allow the impaction device to be aware of what endpiece (cup impactor, broach handle, etc.) is attached with no actionrequired by the surgeon, and adjust the settings accordingly. This maybe achieved, for example, through a QR code, barcode, RFID tag, or othermethod.

Examples of the settings that may be used include cup impaction settings(e.g., single direction, specified frequency range, specified forceand/or energy range); broach impaction settings (e.g., dualdirection/oscillating at a specified frequency range, specified forceand/or energy range); femoral head impaction settings (e.g., singledirection/single blow at a specified force or energy); and stemimpaction settings (e.g., single direction at specified frequency with aspecified force or energy). Additionally, in some embodiments, thepowered impaction device includes settings related to acetabular linerimpaction (e.g., single direction/single blow at a specified force orenergy). There may be a plurality of settings for each type of linersuch as poly, ceramic, oxinium, or other materials. Furthermore, thepowered impaction device may offer settings for different bone qualitybased on preoperative testing/imaging/knowledge and/or intraoperativeassessment by surgeon. In some embodiments, the powered impactor devicemay have a dual function. For example, the powered impactor device notonly could provide reciprocating motion to provide an impact force, butalso could provide reciprocating motion for a broach or rasp.

In some embodiments, the powered impaction device includes feedbacksensors that gather data during instrument use and send data to acomputing device, such as a controller within the device or the SurgicalComputer 150. This computing device can then record the data for lateranalysis and use. Examples of the data that may be collected include,without limitation, sound waves, the predetermined resonance frequencyof each instrument, reaction force or rebound energy from patient bone,location of the device with respect to imaging (e.g., fluoro, CT,ultrasound, MRI, etc.) registered bony anatomy, and/or external straingauges on bones.

Once the data is collected, the computing device may execute one or morealgorithms in real-time or near real-time to aid the surgeon inperforming the surgical procedure. For example, in some embodiments, thecomputing device uses the collected data to derive information such asthe proper final broach size (femur); when the stem is fully seated(femur side); or when the cup is seated (depth and/or orientation) for aTHA. Once the information is known, it may be displayed for thesurgeon's review, or it may be used to activate haptics or otherfeedback mechanisms to guide the surgical procedure.

Additionally, the data derived from the aforementioned algorithms may beused to drive operation of the device. For example, during insertion ofa prosthetic acetabular cup with a powered impaction device, the devicemay automatically extend an impaction head (e.g., an end effector)moving the implant into the proper location, or turn the power off tothe device once the implant is fully seated. In one embodiment, thederived information may be used to automatically adjust settings forquality of bone where the powered impaction device should use less powerto mitigate femoral/acetabular/pelvic fracture or damage to surroundingtissues.

Robotic Arm

In some embodiments, the CASS 100 includes a robotic arm 105A thatserves as an interface to stabilize and hold a variety of instrumentsused during the surgical procedure. For example, in the context of a hipsurgery, these instruments may include, without limitation, retractors,a sagittal or reciprocating saw, the reamer handle, the cup impactor,the broach handle, and the stem inserter. The robotic arm 105A may havemultiple degrees of freedom (like a Spider device), and have the abilityto be locked in place (e.g., by a press of a button, voice activation, asurgeon removing a hand from the robotic arm, or other method).

In some embodiments, movement of the robotic arm 105A may be effectuatedby use of a control panel built into the robotic arm system. Forexample, a display screen may include one or more input sources, such asphysical buttons or a user interface having one or more icons, thatdirect movement of the robotic arm 105A. The surgeon or other healthcareprofessional may engage with the one or more input sources to positionthe robotic arm 105A when performing a surgical procedure.

A tool or an end effector 105B attached or integrated into a robotic arm105A may include, without limitation, a burring device, a scalpel, acutting device, a retractor, a joint tensioning device, or the like. Inembodiments in which an end effector 105B is used, the end effector maybe positioned at the end of the robotic arm 105A such that any motorcontrol operations are performed within the robotic arm system. Inembodiments in which a tool is used, the tool may be secured at a distalend of the robotic arm 105A, but motor control operation may residewithin the tool itself.

The robotic arm 105A may be motorized internally to both stabilize therobotic arm, thereby preventing it from falling and hitting the patient,surgical table, surgical staff, etc., and to allow the surgeon to movethe robotic arm without having to fully support its weight. While thesurgeon is moving the robotic arm 105A, the robotic arm may provide someresistance to prevent the robotic arm from moving too fast or having toomany degrees of freedom active at once. The position and the lock statusof the robotic arm 105A may be tracked, for example, by a controller orthe Surgical Computer 150.

In some embodiments, the robotic arm 105A can be moved by hand (e.g., bythe surgeon) or with internal motors into its ideal position andorientation for the task being performed. In some embodiments, therobotic arm 105A may be enabled to operate in a “free” mode that allowsthe surgeon to position the arm into a desired position without beingrestricted. While in the free mode, the position and orientation of therobotic arm 105A may still be tracked as described above. In oneembodiment, certain degrees of freedom can be selectively released uponinput from user (e.g., surgeon) during specified portions of thesurgical plan tracked by the Surgical Computer 150. Designs in which arobotic arm 105A is internally powered through hydraulics or motors orprovides resistance to external manual motion through similar means canbe described as powered robotic arms, while arms that are manuallymanipulated without power feedback, but which may be manually orautomatically locked in place, may be described as passive robotic arms.

A robotic arm 105A or end effector 105B can include a trigger or othermeans to control the power of a saw or drill. Engagement of the triggeror other means by the surgeon can cause the robotic arm 105A or endeffector 105B to transition from a motorized alignment mode to a modewhere the saw or drill is engaged and powered on. Additionally, the CASS100 can include a foot pedal (not shown) that causes the system toperform certain functions when activated. For example, the surgeon canactivate the foot pedal to instruct the CASS 100 to place the roboticarm 105A or end effector 105B in an automatic mode that brings therobotic arm or end effector into the proper position with respect to thepatient's anatomy in order to perform the necessary resections. The CASS100 also can place the robotic arm 105A or end effector 105B in acollaborative mode that allows the surgeon to manually manipulate andposition the robotic arm or end effector into a particular location. Thecollaborative mode can be configured to allow the surgeon to move therobotic arm 105A or end effector 105B medially or laterally, whilerestricting movement in other directions. As discussed, the robotic arm105A or end effector 105B can include a cutting device (saw, drill, andburr) or a cutting guide or jig 105D that will guide a cutting device.In other embodiments, movement of the robotic arm 105A or roboticallycontrolled end effector 105B can be controlled entirely by the CASS 100without any, or with only minimal, assistance or input from a surgeon orother medical professional. In still other embodiments, the movement ofthe robotic arm 105A or robotically controlled end effector 105B can becontrolled remotely by a surgeon or other medical professional using acontrol mechanism separate from the robotic arm or roboticallycontrolled end effector device, for example using a joystick orinteractive monitor or display control device.

The examples below describe uses of the robotic device in the context ofa hip surgery; however, it should be understood that the robotic arm mayhave other applications for surgical procedures involving knees,shoulders, etc. One example of use of a robotic arm in the context offorming an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft tunnel is described inWIPO Publication No. WO 2020/047051, filed Aug. 28, 2019, entitled“Robotic Assisted Ligament Graft Placement and Tensioning,” the entiretyof which is incorporated herein by reference.

A robotic arm 105A may be used for holding the retractor. For example inone embodiment, the robotic arm 105A may be moved into the desiredposition by the surgeon. At that point, the robotic arm 105A may lockinto place. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 105A is provided withdata regarding the patient's position, such that if the patient moves,the robotic arm can adjust the retractor position accordingly. In someembodiments, multiple robotic arms may be used, thereby allowingmultiple retractors to be held or for more than one activity to beperformed simultaneously (e.g., retractor holding & reaming).

The robotic arm 105A may also be used to help stabilize the surgeon'shand while making a femoral neck cut. In this application, control ofthe robotic arm 105A may impose certain restrictions to prevent softtissue damage from occurring. For example, in one embodiment, theSurgical Computer 150 tracks the position of the robotic arm 105A as itoperates. If the tracked location approaches an area where tissue damageis predicted, a command may be sent to the robotic arm 105A causing itto stop. Alternatively, where the robotic arm 105A is automaticallycontrolled by the Surgical Computer 150, the Surgical Computer mayensure that the robotic arm is not provided with any instructions thatcause it to enter areas where soft tissue damage is likely to occur. TheSurgical Computer 150 may impose certain restrictions on the surgeon toprevent the surgeon from reaming too far into the medial wall of theacetabulum or reaming at an incorrect angle or orientation.

In some embodiments, the robotic arm 105A may be used to hold a cupimpactor at a desired angle or orientation during cup impaction. Whenthe final position has been achieved, the robotic arm 105A may preventany further seating to prevent damage to the pelvis.

The surgeon may use the robotic arm 105A to position the broach handleat the desired position and allow the surgeon to impact the broach intothe femoral canal at the desired orientation. In some embodiments, oncethe Surgical Computer 150 receives feedback that the broach is fullyseated, the robotic arm 105A may restrict the handle to prevent furtheradvancement of the broach.

The robotic arm 105A may also be used for resurfacing applications. Forexample, the robotic arm 105A may stabilize the surgeon while usingtraditional instrumentation and provide certain restrictions orlimitations to allow for proper placement of implant components (e.g.,guide wire placement, chamfer cutter, sleeve cutter, plan cutter, etc.).Where only a burr is employed, the robotic arm 105A may stabilize thesurgeon's handpiece and may impose restrictions on the handpiece toprevent the surgeon from removing unintended bone in contravention ofthe surgical plan.

The robotic arm 105A may be a passive arm. As an example, the roboticarm 105A may be a CIRQ robot arm available from Brainlab AG. CIRQ is aregistered trademark of Brainlab AG, Olof-Palme-Str. 9 81829, München,FED REP of GERMANY. In one particular embodiment, the robotic arm 105Ais an intelligent holding arm as disclosed in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/525,585 to Krinninger et al., U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/561,042 to Nowatschin et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/561,048 to Nowatschin et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 10,342,636 toNowatschin et al., the entire contents of each of which is hereinincorporated by reference.

Surgical Procedure Data Generation and Collection

The various services that are provided by medical professionals to treata clinical condition are collectively referred to as an “episode ofcare.” For a particular surgical intervention the episode of care caninclude three phases: pre-operative, intra-operative, andpost-operative. During each phase, data is collected or generated thatcan be used to analyze the episode of care in order to understandvarious features of the procedure and identify patterns that may beused, for example, in training models to make decisions with minimalhuman intervention. The data collected over the episode of care may bestored at the Surgical Computer 150 or the Surgical Data Server 180 as acomplete dataset. Thus, for each episode of care, a dataset exists thatcomprises all of the data collectively pre-operatively about thepatient, all of the data collected or stored by the CASS 100intra-operatively, and any post-operative data provided by the patientor by a healthcare professional monitoring the patient.

As explained in further detail, the data collected during the episode ofcare may be used to enhance performance of the surgical procedure or toprovide a holistic understanding of the surgical procedure and thepatient outcomes. For example, in some embodiments, the data collectedover the episode of care may be used to generate a surgical plan. In oneembodiment, a high-level, pre-operative plan is refinedintra-operatively as data is collected during surgery. In this way, thesurgical plan can be viewed as dynamically changing in real-time or nearreal-time as new data is collected by the components of the CASS 100. Inother embodiments, pre-operative images or other input data may be usedto develop a robust plan preoperatively that is simply executed duringsurgery. In this case, the data collected by the CASS 100 during surgerymay be used to make recommendations that ensure that the surgeon stayswithin the pre-operative surgical plan. For example, if the surgeon isunsure how to achieve a certain prescribed cut or implant alignment, theSurgical Computer 150 can be queried for a recommendation. In stillother embodiments, the pre-operative and intra-operative planningapproaches can be combined such that a robust pre-operative plan can bedynamically modified, as necessary or desired, during the surgicalprocedure. In some embodiments, a biomechanics-based model of patientanatomy contributes simulation data to be considered by the CASS 100 indeveloping preoperative, intraoperative, andpost-operative/rehabilitation procedures to optimize implant performanceoutcomes for the patient.

Aside from changing the surgical procedure itself, the data gatheredduring the episode of care may be used as an input to other proceduresancillary to the surgery. For example, in some embodiments, implants canbe designed using episode of care data. Example data-driven techniquesfor designing, sizing, and fitting implants are described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/814,531 filed Aug. 15, 2011 and entitled“Systems and Methods for Optimizing Parameters for OrthopaedicProcedures”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/232,958 filed Jul. 20,2012 and entitled “Systems and Methods for Optimizing Fit of an Implantto Anatomy”; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/234,444 filed Sep.19, 2008 and entitled “Operatively Tuning Implants for IncreasedPerformance,” the entire contents of each of which are herebyincorporated by reference into this patent application.

Furthermore, the data can be used for educational, training, or researchpurposes. For example, using the network-based approach described belowin FIG. 5C, other doctors or students can remotely view surgeries ininterfaces that allow them to selectively view data as it is collectedfrom the various components of the CASS 100. After the surgicalprocedure, similar interfaces may be used to “playback” a surgery fortraining or other educational purposes, or to identify the source of anyissues or complications with the procedure.

Data acquired during the pre-operative phase generally includes allinformation collected or generated prior to the surgery. Thus, forexample, information about the patient may be acquired from a patientintake form or electronic medical record (EMR). Examples of patientinformation that may be collected include, without limitation, patientdemographics, diagnoses, medical histories, progress notes, vital signs,medical history information, allergies, and lab results. Thepre-operative data may also include images related to the anatomicalarea of interest. These images may be captured, for example, usingMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), X-ray,ultrasound, or any other modality known in the art. The pre-operativedata may also comprise quality of life data captured from the patient.For example, in one embodiment, pre-surgery patients use a mobileapplication (“app”) to answer questionnaires regarding their currentquality of life. In some embodiments, preoperative data used by the CASS100 includes demographic, anthropometric, cultural, or other specifictraits about a patient that can coincide with activity levels andspecific patient activities to customize the surgical plan to thepatient. For example, certain cultures or demographics may be morelikely to use a toilet that requires squatting on a daily basis.

FIGS. 5A and 5B provide examples of data that may be acquired during theintra-operative phase of an episode of care. These examples are based onthe various components of the CASS 100 described above with reference toFIG. 1; however, it should be understood that other types of data may beused based on the types of equipment used during surgery and their use.

FIG. 5A shows examples of some of the control instructions that theSurgical Computer 150 provides to other components of the CASS 100,according to some embodiments. Note that the example of FIG. 5A assumesthat the components of the Effector Platform 105 are each controlleddirectly by the Surgical Computer 150. In embodiments where a componentis manually controlled by the Surgeon 111, instructions may be providedon the Display 125 or AR HMD 155 instructing the Surgeon 111 how to movethe component.

The various components included in the Effector Platform 105 arecontrolled by the Surgical Computer 150 providing position commands thatinstruct the component where to move within a coordinate system. In someembodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 provides the Effector Platform105 with instructions defining how to react when a component of theEffector Platform 105 deviates from a surgical plan. These commands arereferenced in FIG. 5A as “haptic” commands. For example, the EndEffector 105B may provide a force to resist movement outside of an areawhere resection is planned. Other commands that may be used by theEffector Platform 105 include vibration and audio cues.

In some embodiments, the end effectors 105B of the robotic arm 105A areoperatively coupled with cutting guide 105D. In response to ananatomical model of the surgical scene, the robotic arm 105A can movethe end effectors 105B and the cutting guide 105D into position to matchthe location of the femoral or tibial cut to be performed in accordancewith the surgical plan. This can reduce the likelihood of error,allowing the vision system and a processor utilizing that vision systemto implement the surgical plan to place a cutting guide 105D at theprecise location and orientation relative to the tibia or femur to aligna cutting slot of the cutting guide with the cut to be performedaccording to the surgical plan. Then, a surgeon can use any suitabletool, such as an oscillating or rotating saw or drill to perform the cut(or drill a hole) with perfect placement and orientation because thetool is mechanically limited by the features of the cutting guide 105D.In some embodiments, the cutting guide 105D may include one or more pinholes that are used by a surgeon to drill and screw or pin the cuttingguide into place before performing a resection of the patient tissueusing the cutting guide. This can free the robotic arm 105A or ensurethat the cutting guide 105D is fully affixed without moving relative tothe bone to be resected. For example, this procedure can be used to makethe first distal cut of the femur during a total knee arthroplasty. Insome embodiments, where the arthroplasty is a hip arthroplasty, cuttingguide 105D can be fixed to the femoral head or the acetabulum for therespective hip arthroplasty resection. It should be understood that anyarthroplasty that utilizes precise cuts can use the robotic arm 105Aand/or cutting guide 105D in this manner.

The Resection Equipment 110 is provided with a variety of commands toperform bone or tissue operations. As with the Effector Platform 105,position information may be provided to the Resection Equipment 110 tospecify where it should be located when performing resection. Othercommands provided to the Resection Equipment 110 may be dependent on thetype of resection equipment. For example, for a mechanical or ultrasonicresection tool, the commands may specify the speed and frequency of thetool. For Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) and other laser ablation tools,the commands may specify intensity and pulse duration.

Some components of the CASS 100 do not need to be directly controlled bythe Surgical Computer 150; rather, the Surgical Computer 150 only needsto activate the component, which then executes software locallyspecifying the manner in which to collect data and provide it to theSurgical Computer 150. In the example of FIG. 5A, there are twocomponents that are operated in this manner: the Tracking System 115 andthe Tissue Navigation System 120.

The Surgical Computer 150 provides the Display 125 with anyvisualization that is needed by the Surgeon 111 during surgery. Formonitors, the Surgical Computer 150 may provide instructions fordisplaying images, GUIs, etc. using techniques known in the art. Thedisplay 125 can include various portions of the workflow of a surgicalplan. During the registration process, for example, the display 125 canshow a preoperatively constructed 3D bone model and depict the locationsof the probe as the surgeon uses the probe to collect locations ofanatomical landmarks on the patient. The display 125 can includeinformation about the surgical target area. For example, in connectionwith a TKA, the display 125 can depict the mechanical and anatomicalaxes of the femur and tibia. The display 125 can depict varus and valgusangles for the knee joint based on a surgical plan, and the CASS 100 candepict how such angles will be affected if contemplated revisions to thesurgical plan are made. Accordingly, the display 125 is an interactiveinterface that can dynamically update and display how changes to thesurgical plan would impact the procedure and the final position andorientation of implants installed on bone.

As the workflow progresses to preparation of bone cuts or resections,the display 125 can depict the planned or recommended bone cuts beforeany cuts are performed. The surgeon 111 can manipulate the image displayto provide different anatomical perspectives of the target area and canhave the option to alter or revise the planned bone cuts based onintraoperative evaluation of the patient. The display 125 can depict howthe chosen implants would be installed on the bone if the planned bonecuts are performed. If the surgeon 111 choses to change the previouslyplanned bone cuts, the display 125 can depict how the revised bone cutswould change the position and orientation of the implant when installedon the bone.

The display 125 can provide the surgeon 111 with a variety of data andinformation about the patient, the planned surgical intervention, andthe implants. Various patient-specific information can be displayed,including real-time data concerning the patient's health such as heartrate, blood pressure, etc. The display 125 also can include informationabout the anatomy of the surgical target region including the locationof landmarks, the current state of the anatomy (e.g., whether anyresections have been made, the depth and angles of planned and executedbone cuts), and future states of the anatomy as the surgical planprogresses. The display 125 also can provide or depict additionalinformation about the surgical target region. For a TKA, the display 125can provide information about the gaps (e.g., gap balancing) between thefemur and tibia and how such gaps will change if the planned surgicalplan is carried out. For a TKA, the display 125 can provide additionalrelevant information about the knee joint such as data about the joint'stension (e.g., ligament laxity) and information concerning rotation andalignment of the joint. The display 125 can depict how the plannedimplants' locations and positions will affect the patient as the kneejoint is flexed. The display 125 can depict how the use of differentimplants or the use of different sizes of the same implant will affectthe surgical plan and preview how such implants will be positioned onthe bone. The CASS 100 can provide such information for each of theplanned bone resections in a TKA or THA. In a TKA, the CASS 100 canprovide robotic control for one or more of the planned bone resections.For example, the CASS 100 can provide robotic control only for theinitial distal femur cut, and the surgeon 111 can manually perform otherresections (anterior, posterior and chamfer cuts) using conventionalmeans, such as a 4-in-1 cutting guide or jig 105D.

The display 125 can employ different colors to inform the surgeon of thestatus of the surgical plan. For example, un-resected bone can bedisplayed in a first color, resected bone can be displayed in a secondcolor, and planned resections can be displayed in a third color.Implants can be superimposed onto the bone in the display 125, andimplant colors can change or correspond to different types or sizes ofimplants.

The information and options depicted on the display 125 can varydepending on the type of surgical procedure being performed. Further,the surgeon 111 can request or select a particular surgical workflowdisplay that matches or is consistent with his or her surgical planpreferences. For example, for a surgeon 111 who typically performs thetibial cuts before the femoral cuts in a TKA, the display 125 andassociated workflow can be adapted to take this preference into account.The surgeon 111 also can preselect that certain steps be included ordeleted from the standard surgical workflow display. For example, if asurgeon 111 uses resection measurements to finalize an implant plan butdoes not analyze ligament gap balancing when finalizing the implantplan, the surgical workflow display can be organized into modules, andthe surgeon can select which modules to display and the order in whichthe modules are provided based on the surgeon's preferences or thecircumstances of a particular surgery. Modules directed to ligament andgap balancing, for example, can include pre- and post-resectionligament/gap balancing, and the surgeon 111 can select which modules toinclude in their default surgical plan workflow depending on whetherthey perform such ligament and gap balancing before or after (or both)bone resections are performed.

For more specialized display equipment, such as AR HMDs, the SurgicalComputer 150 may provide images, text, etc. using the data formatsupported by the equipment. For example, if the Display 125 is aholography device such as the Microsoft HoloLens™ or Magic Leap One™,the Surgical Computer 150 may use the HoloLens Application ProgramInterface (API) to send commands specifying the position and content ofholograms displayed in the field of view of the Surgeon 111.

In some embodiments, one or more surgical planning models may beincorporated into the CASS 100 and used in the development of thesurgical plans provided to the surgeon 111. The term “surgical planningmodel” refers to software that simulates the biomechanics performance ofanatomy under various scenarios to determine the optimal way to performcutting and other surgical activities. For example, for knee replacementsurgeries, the surgical planning model can measure parameters forfunctional activities, such as deep knee bends, gait, etc., and selectcut locations on the knee to optimize implant placement. One example ofa surgical planning model is the LIFEMOD™ simulation software from SMITHAND NEPHEW, INC. In some embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 includescomputing architecture that allows full execution of the surgicalplanning model during surgery (e.g., a GPU-based parallel processingenvironment). In other embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 may beconnected over a network to a remote computer that allows suchexecution, such as a Surgical Data Server 180 (see FIG. 5C). As analternative to full execution of the surgical planning model, in someembodiments, a set of transfer functions are derived that simplify themathematical operations captured by the model into one or more predictorequations. Then, rather than execute the full simulation during surgery,the predictor equations are used. Further details on the use of transferfunctions are described in WIPO Publication No. 2020/037308, filed Aug.19, 2019, entitled “Patient Specific Surgical Method and System,” theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIG. 5B shows examples of some of the types of data that can be providedto the Surgical Computer 150 from the various components of the CASS100. In some embodiments, the components may stream data to the SurgicalComputer 150 in real-time or near real-time during surgery. In otherembodiments, the components may queue data and send it to the SurgicalComputer 150 at set intervals (e.g., every second). Data may becommunicated using any format known in the art. Thus, in someembodiments, the components all transmit data to the Surgical Computer150 in a common format. In other embodiments, each component may use adifferent data format, and the Surgical Computer 150 is configured withone or more software applications that enable translation of the data.

In general, the Surgical Computer 150 may serve as the central pointwhere CASS data is collected. The exact content of the data will varydepending on the source. For example, each component of the EffectorPlatform 105 provides a measured position to the Surgical Computer 150.Thus, by comparing the measured position to a position originallyspecified by the Surgical Computer 150 (see FIG. 5B), the SurgicalComputer can identify deviations that take place during surgery.

The Resection Equipment 110 can send various types of data to theSurgical Computer 150 depending on the type of equipment used. Exampledata types that may be sent include the measured torque, audiosignatures, and measured displacement values. Similarly, the TrackingTechnology 115 can provide different types of data depending on thetracking methodology employed. Example tracking data types includeposition values for tracked items (e.g., anatomy, tools, etc.),ultrasound images, and surface or landmark collection points or axes.The Tissue Navigation System 120 provides the Surgical Computer 150 withanatomic locations, shapes, etc. as the system operates.

Although the Display 125 generally is used for outputting data forpresentation to the user, it may also provide data to the SurgicalComputer 150. For example, for embodiments where a monitor is used aspart of the Display 125, the Surgeon 111 may interact with a GUI toprovide inputs which are sent to the Surgical Computer 150 for furtherprocessing. For AR applications, the measured position and displacementof the HMD may be sent to the Surgical Computer 150 so that it canupdate the presented view as needed.

During the post-operative phase of the episode of care, various types ofdata can be collected to quantify the overall improvement ordeterioration in the patient's condition as a result of the surgery. Thedata can take the form of, for example, self-reported informationreported by patients via questionnaires. For example, in the context ofa knee replacement surgery, functional status can be measured with anOxford Knee Score questionnaire, and the post-operative quality of lifecan be measured with a EQ5D-5L questionnaire. Other examples in thecontext of a hip replacement surgery may include the Oxford Hip Score,Harris Hip Score, and WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster UniversitiesOsteoarthritis index). Such questionnaires can be administered, forexample, by a healthcare professional directly in a clinical setting orusing a mobile app that allows the patient to respond to questionsdirectly. In some embodiments, the patient may be outfitted with one ormore wearable devices that collect data relevant to the surgery. Forexample, following a knee surgery, the patient may be outfitted with aknee brace that includes sensors that monitor knee positioning,flexibility, etc. This information can be collected and transferred tothe patient's mobile device for review by the surgeon to evaluate theoutcome of the surgery and address any issues. In some embodiments, oneor more cameras can capture and record the motion of a patient's bodysegments during specified activities postoperatively. This motioncapture can be compared to a biomechanics model to better understand thefunctionality of the patient's joints and better predict progress inrecovery and identify any possible revisions that may be needed.

The post-operative stage of the episode of care can continue over theentire life of a patient. For example, in some embodiments, the SurgicalComputer 150 or other components comprising the CASS 100 can continue toreceive and collect data relevant to a surgical procedure after theprocedure has been performed. This data may include, for example,images, answers to questions, “normal” patient data (e.g., blood type,blood pressure, conditions, medications, etc.), biometric data (e.g.,gait, etc.), and objective and subjective data about specific issues(e.g., knee or hip joint pain). This data may be explicitly provided tothe Surgical Computer 150 or other CASS component by the patient or thepatient's physician(s). Alternatively or additionally, the SurgicalComputer 150 or other CASS component can monitor the patient's EMR andretrieve relevant information as it becomes available. This longitudinalview of the patient's recovery allows the Surgical Computer 150 or otherCASS component to provide a more objective analysis of the patient'soutcome to measure and track success or lack of success for a givenprocedure. For example, a condition experienced by a patient long afterthe surgical procedure can be linked back to the surgery through aregression analysis of various data items collected during the episodeof care. This analysis can be further enhanced by performing theanalysis on groups of patients that had similar procedures and/or havesimilar anatomies.

In some embodiments, data is collected at a central location to providefor easier analysis and use. Data can be manually collected from variousCASS components in some instances. For example, a portable storagedevice (e.g., USB stick) can be attached to the Surgical Computer 150into order to retrieve data collected during surgery. The data can thenbe transferred, for example, via a desktop computer to the centralizedstorage. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150is connected directly to the centralized storage via a Network 175 asshown in FIG. 5C.

FIG. 5C illustrates a “cloud-based” implementation in which the SurgicalComputer 150 is connected to a Surgical Data Server 180 via a Network175. This Network 175 may be, for example, a private intranet or theInternet. In addition to the data from the Surgical Computer 150, othersources can transfer relevant data to the Surgical Data Server 180. Theexample of FIG. 5C shows 3 additional data sources: the Patient 160,Healthcare Professional(s) 165, and an EMR Database 170. Thus, thePatient 160 can send pre-operative and post-operative data to theSurgical Data Server 180, for example, using a mobile app. TheHealthcare Professional(s) 165 includes the surgeon and his or her staffas well as any other professionals working with Patient 160 (e.g., apersonal physician, a rehabilitation specialist, etc.). It should alsobe noted that the EMR Database 170 may be used for both pre-operativeand post-operative data. For example, assuming that the Patient 160 hasgiven adequate permissions, the Surgical Data Server 180 may collect theEMR of the Patient pre-surgery. Then, the Surgical Data Server 180 maycontinue to monitor the EMR for any updates post-surgery.

At the Surgical Data Server 180, an Episode of Care Database 185 is usedto store the various data collected over a patient's episode of care.The Episode of Care Database 185 may be implemented using any techniqueknown in the art. For example, in some embodiments, a SQL-based databasemay be used where all of the various data items are structured in amanner that allows them to be readily incorporated in two SQL'scollection of rows and columns. However, in other embodiments a No-SQLdatabase may be employed to allow for unstructured data, while providingthe ability to rapidly process and respond to queries. As is understoodin the art, the term “No-SQL” is used to define a class of data storesthat are non-relational in their design. Various types of No-SQLdatabases may generally be grouped according to their underlying datamodel. These groupings may include databases that use column-based datamodels (e.g., Cassandra), document-based data models (e.g., MongoDB),key-value based data models (e.g., Redis), and/or graph-based datamodels (e.g., Allego). Any type of No-SQL database may be used toimplement the various embodiments described herein and, in someembodiments, the different types of databases may support the Episode ofCare Database 185.

Data can be transferred between the various data sources and theSurgical Data Server 180 using any data format and transfer techniqueknown in the art. It should be noted that the architecture shown in FIG.5C allows transmission from the data source to the Surgical Data Server180, as well as retrieval of data from the Surgical Data Server 180 bythe data sources. For example, as explained in detail below, in someembodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 may use data from past surgeries,machine learning models, etc. to help guide the surgical procedure.

In some embodiments, the Surgical Computer 150 or the Surgical DataServer 180 may execute a de-identification process to ensure that datastored in the Episode of Care Database 185 meets Health InsurancePortability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards or otherrequirements mandated by law. HIPAA provides a list of certainidentifiers that must be removed from data during de-identification. Theaforementioned de-identification process can scan for these identifiersin data that is transferred to the Episode of Care Database 185 forstorage. For example, in one embodiment, the Surgical Computer 150executes the de-identification process just prior to initiating transferof a particular data item or set of data items to the Surgical DataServer 180. In some embodiments, a unique identifier is assigned to datafrom a particular episode of care to allow for re-identification of thedata if necessary.

Although FIGS. 5A-5C discuss data collection in the context of a singleepisode of care, it should be understood that the general concept can beextended to data collection from multiple episodes of care. For example,surgical data may be collected over an entire episode of care each timea surgery is performed with the CASS 100 and stored at the SurgicalComputer 150 or at the Surgical Data Server 180. As explained in furtherdetail below, a robust database of episode of care data allows thegeneration of optimized values, measurements, distances, or otherparameters and other recommendations related to the surgical procedure.In some embodiments, the various datasets are indexed in the database orother storage medium in a manner that allows for rapid retrieval ofrelevant information during the surgical procedure. For example, in oneembodiment, a patient-centric set of indices may be used so that datapertaining to a particular patient or a set of patients similar to aparticular patient can be readily extracted. This concept can besimilarly applied to surgeons, implant characteristics, CASS componentversions, etc.

Further details of the management of episode of care data is describedin U.S. Patent Application No. 62/783,858 filed Dec. 21, 2018 andentitled “Methods and Systems for Providing an Episode of Care,” theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Open Versus Closed Digital Ecosystems

In some embodiments, the CASS 100 is designed to operate as aself-contained or “closed” digital ecosystem. Each component of the CASS100 is specifically designed to be used in the closed ecosystem, anddata is generally not accessible to devices outside of the digitalecosystem. For example, in some embodiments, each component includessoftware or firmware that implements proprietary protocols foractivities such as communication, storage, security, etc. The concept ofa closed digital ecosystem may be desirable for a company that wants tocontrol all components of the CASS 100 to ensure that certaincompatibility, security, and reliability standards are met. For example,the CASS 100 can be designed such that a new component cannot be usedwith the CASS unless it is certified by the company.

In other embodiments, the CASS 100 is designed to operate as an “open”digital ecosystem. In these embodiments, components may be produced by avariety of different companies according to standards for activities,such as communication, storage, and security. Thus, by using thesestandards, any company can freely build an independent, compliantcomponent of the CASS platform. Data may be transferred betweencomponents using publicly available application programming interfaces(APIs) and open, shareable data formats.

To illustrate one type of recommendation that may be performed with theCASS 100, a technique for optimizing surgical parameters is disclosedbelow. The term “optimization” in this context means selection ofparameters that are optimal based on certain specified criteria. In anextreme case, optimization can refer to selecting optimal parameter(s)based on data from the entire episode of care, including anypre-operative data, the state of CASS data at a given point in time, andpost-operative goals. Moreover, optimization may be performed usinghistorical data, such as data generated during past surgeries involving,for example, the same surgeon, past patients with physicalcharacteristics similar to the current patient, or the like.

The optimized parameters may depend on the portion of the patient'sanatomy to be operated on. For example, for knee surgeries, the surgicalparameters may include positioning information for the femoral andtibial component including, without limitation, rotational alignment(e.g., varus/valgus rotation, external rotation, flexion rotation forthe femoral component, posterior slope of the tibial component),resection depths (e.g., varus knee, valgus knee), and implant type, sizeand position. The positioning information may further include surgicalparameters for the combined implant, such as overall limb alignment,combined tibiofemoral hyperextension, and combined tibiofemoralresection. Additional examples of parameters that could be optimized fora given TKA femoral implant by the CASS 100 include the following:

Parameter Reference Exemplary Recommendation (s) Size Posterior Thelargest sized implant that does not overhang medial/lateral bone edgesor overhang the anterior femur. A size that does not result inoverstuffing the patella femoral joint Implant Position- Medial/lateralcortical Center the implant evenly between the Medial Lateral bone edgesmedial/lateral cortical bone edges Resection Depth- Distal and posterior6 mm of bone Varus Knee lateral Resection Depth- Distal and posterior 7mm of bone Valgus Knee medial Rotation- Mechanical Axis 1° varusVarus/Valgus Rotation-External Transepicondylar 1° external from thetransepicondylar axis Axis Rotation-Flexion Mechanical Axis 3° flexed

Additional examples of parameters that could be optimized for a givenTKA tibial implant by the CASS 100 include the following:

Parameter Reference Exemplary Recommendation (s) Size Posterior Thelargest sized implant that does not overhang the medial, lateral,anterior, and posterior tibial edges Implant Position Medial/lateral andCenter the implant evenly between the anterior/posterior medial/lateraland anterior/posterior cortical cortical bone edges bone edges ResectionDepth- Lateral/Medial 4 mm of bone Varus Knee Resection Depth-Lateral/Medial 5 mm of bone Valgus Knee Rotation- Mechanical Axis 1°valgus Varus/Valgus Rotation-External Tibial Anterior 1° external fromthe tibial anterior paxis Posterior Axis Posterior Slope Mechanical Axis3° posterior slope

For hip surgeries, the surgical parameters may comprise femoral neckresection location and angle, cup inclination angle, cup anteversionangle, cup depth, femoral stem design, femoral stem size, fit of thefemoral stem within the canal, femoral offset, leg length, and femoralversion of the implant.

Shoulder parameters may include, without limitation, humeral resectiondepth/angle, humeral stem version, humeral offset, glenoid version andinclination, as well as reverse shoulder parameters such as humeralresection depth/angle, humeral stem version, Glenoid tilt/version,glenosphere orientation, glenosphere offset and offset direction.

Various conventional techniques exist for optimizing surgicalparameters. However, these techniques are typically computationallyintensive and, thus, parameters often need to be determinedpre-operatively. As a result, the surgeon is limited in his or herability to make modifications to optimized parameters based on issuesthat may arise during surgery. Moreover, conventional optimizationtechniques typically operate in a “black box” manner with little or noexplanation regarding recommended parameter values. Thus, if the surgeondecides to deviate from a recommended parameter value, the surgeontypically does so without a full understanding of the effect of thatdeviation on the rest of the surgical workflow, or the impact of thedeviation on the patient's post-surgery quality of life.

Operative Patient Care System

The general concepts of optimization may be extended to the entireepisode of care using an Operative Patient Care System 620 that uses thesurgical data, and other data from the Patient 605 and HealthcareProfessionals 630 to optimize outcomes and patient satisfaction asdepicted in FIG. 6.

Conventionally, pre-operative diagnosis, pre-operative surgicalplanning, intra-operative execution of a prescribed plan, andpost-operative management of total joint arthroplasty are based onindividual experience, published literature, and training knowledgebases of surgeons (ultimately, tribal knowledge of individual surgeonsand their ‘network’ of peers and journal publications) and their nativeability to make accurate intra-operative tactile discernment of“balance” and accurate manual execution of planar resections usingguides and visual cues. This existing knowledge base and execution islimited with respect to the outcomes optimization offered to patientsneeding care. For example, limits exist with respect to accuratelydiagnosing a patient to the proper, least-invasive prescribed care;aligning dynamic patient, healthcare economic, and surgeon preferenceswith patient-desired outcomes; executing a surgical plan resulting inproper bone alignment and balance, etc.; and receiving data fromdisconnected sources having different biases that are difficult toreconcile into a holistic patient framework. Accordingly, a data-driventool that more accurately models anatomical response and guides thesurgical plan can improve the existing approach.

The Operative Patient Care System 620 is designed to utilize patientspecific data, surgeon data, healthcare facility data, and historicaloutcome data to develop an algorithm that suggests or recommends anoptimal overall treatment plan for the patient's entire episode of care(preoperative, operative, and postoperative) based on a desired clinicaloutcome. For example, in one embodiment, the Operative Patient CareSystem 620 tracks adherence to the suggested or recommended plan, andadapts the plan based on patient/care provider performance. Once thesurgical treatment plan is complete, collected data is logged by theOperative Patient Care System 620 in a historical database. Thisdatabase is accessible for future patients and the development of futuretreatment plans. In addition to utilizing statistical and mathematicalmodels, simulation tools (e.g., LIFEMOD®) can be used to simulateoutcomes, alignment, kinematics, etc. based on a preliminary or proposedsurgical plan, and reconfigure the preliminary or proposed plan toachieve desired or optimal results according to a patient's profile or asurgeon's preferences. The Operative Patient Care System 620 ensuresthat each patient is receiving personalized surgical and rehabilitativecare, thereby improving the chance of successful clinical outcomes andlessening the economic burden on the facility associated with near-termrevision.

In some embodiments, the Operative Patient Care System 620 employs adata collecting and management method to provide a detailed surgicalcase plan with distinct steps that are monitored and/or executed using aCASS 100. The performance of the user(s) is calculated at the completionof each step and can be used to suggest changes to the subsequent stepsof the case plan. Case plan generation relies on a series of input datathat is stored on a local or cloud-storage database. Input data can berelated to both the current patient undergoing treatment and historicaldata from patients who have received similar treatment(s).

A Patient 605 provides inputs such as Current Patient Data 610 andHistorical Patient Data 615 to the Operative Patient Care System 620.Various methods generally known in the art may be used to gather suchinputs from the Patient 605. For example, in some embodiments, thePatient 605 fills out a paper or digital survey that is parsed by theOperative Patient Care System 620 to extract patient data. In otherembodiments, the Operative Patient Care System 620 may extract patientdata from existing information sources, such as electronic medicalrecords (EMRs), health history files, and payer/provider historicalfiles. In still other embodiments, the Operative Patient Care System 620may provide an application program interface (API) that allows theexternal data source to push data to the Operative Patient Care System.For example, the Patient 605 may have a mobile phone, wearable device,or other mobile device that collects data (e.g., heart rate, pain ordiscomfort levels, exercise or activity levels, or patient-submittedresponses to the patient's adherence with any number of pre-operativeplan criteria or conditions) and provides that data to the OperativePatient Care System 620. Similarly, the Patient 605 may have a digitalapplication on his or her mobile or wearable device that enables data tobe collected and transmitted to the Operative Patient Care System 620.

Current Patient Data 610 can include, but is not limited to, activitylevel, preexisting conditions, comorbidities, prehab performance, healthand fitness level, pre-operative expectation level (relating tohospital, surgery, and recovery), a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)driven score, genetic background, prior injuries (sports, trauma, etc.),previous joint arthroplasty, previous trauma procedures, previous sportsmedicine procedures, treatment of the contralateral joint or limb, gaitor biomechanical information (back and ankle issues), levels of pain ordiscomfort, care infrastructure information (payer coverage type, homehealth care infrastructure level, etc.), and an indication of theexpected ideal outcome of the procedure.

Historical Patient Data 615 can include, but is not limited to, activitylevel, preexisting conditions, comorbidities, prehab performance, healthand fitness level, pre-operative expectation level (relating tohospital, surgery, and recovery), a MSA driven score, geneticbackground, prior injuries (sports, trauma, etc.), previous jointarthroplasty, previous trauma procedures, previous sports medicineprocedures, treatment of the contralateral joint or limb, gait orbiomechanical information (back and ankle issues), levels or pain ordiscomfort, care infrastructure information (payer coverage type, homehealth care infrastructure level, etc.), expected ideal outcome of theprocedure, actual outcome of the procedure (patient reported outcomes[PROs], survivorship of implants, pain levels, activity levels, etc.),sizes of implants used, position/orientation/alignment of implants used,soft-tissue balance achieved, etc.

Healthcare Professional(s) 630 conducting the procedure or treatment mayprovide various types of data 625 to the Operative Patient Care System620. This Healthcare Professional Data 625 may include, for example, adescription of a known or preferred surgical technique (e.g., CruciateRetaining (CR) vs Posterior Stabilized (PS), up- vs down-sizing,tourniquet vs tourniquet-less, femoral stem style, preferred approachfor THA, etc.), the level of training of the Healthcare Professional(s)630 (e.g., years in practice, fellowship trained, where they trained,whose techniques they emulate), previous success level includinghistorical data (outcomes, patient satisfaction), and the expected idealoutcome with respect to range of motion, days of recovery, andsurvivorship of the device. The Healthcare Professional Data 625 can becaptured, for example, with paper or digital surveys provided to theHealthcare Professional 630, via inputs to a mobile application by theHealthcare Professional, or by extracting relevant data from EMRs. Inaddition, the CASS 100 may provide data such as profile data (e.g., aPatient Specific Knee Instrument Profile) or historical logs describinguse of the CASS during surgery.

Information pertaining to the facility where the procedure or treatmentwill be conducted may be included in the input data. This data caninclude, without limitation, the following: Ambulatory Surgery Center(ASC) vs hospital, facility trauma level, Comprehensive Care for JointReplacement Program (CJR) or bundle candidacy, a MSA driven score,community vs metro, academic vs non-academic, postoperative networkaccess (Skilled Nursing Facility [SNF] only, Home Health, etc.),availability of medical professionals, implant availability, andavailability of surgical equipment.

These facility inputs can be captured by, for example and withoutlimitation, Surveys (Paper/Digital), Surgery Scheduling Tools (e.g.,apps, Websites, Electronic Medical Records [EMRs], etc.), Databases ofHospital Information (on the Internet), etc. Input data relating to theassociated healthcare economy including, but not limited to, thesocioeconomic profile of the patient, the expected level ofreimbursement the patient will receive, and if the treatment is patientspecific may also be captured.

These healthcare economic inputs can be captured by, for example andwithout limitation, Surveys (Paper/Digital), Direct Payer Information,Databases of Socioeconomic status (on the Internet with zip code), etc.Finally, data derived from simulation of the procedure is captured.Simulation inputs include implant size, position, and orientation.Simulation can be conducted with custom or commercially availableanatomical modeling software programs (e.g., LIFEMOD®, AnyBody, orOpenSIM). It is noted that the data inputs described above may not beavailable for every patient, and the treatment plan will be generatedusing the data that is available.

Prior to surgery, the Patient Data 610, 615 and Healthcare ProfessionalData 625 may be captured and stored in a cloud-based or online database(e.g., the Surgical Data Server 180 shown in FIG. 5C). Informationrelevant to the procedure is supplied to a computing system via wirelessdata transfer or manually with the use of portable media storage. Thecomputing system is configured to generate a case plan for use with aCASS 100. Case plan generation will be described hereinafter. It isnoted that the system has access to historical data from previouspatients undergoing treatment, including implant size, placement, andorientation as generated by a computer-assisted, patient-specific kneeinstrument (PSKI) selection system, or automatically by the CASS 100itself. To achieve this, case log data is uploaded to the historicaldatabase by a surgical sales rep or case engineer using an onlineportal. In some embodiments, data transfer to the online database iswireless and automated.

Historical data sets from the online database are used as inputs to amachine learning model such as, for example, a recurrent neural network(RNN) or other form of artificial neural network. As is generallyunderstood in the art, an artificial neural network functions similar toa biologic neural network and is comprised of a series of nodes andconnections. The machine learning model is trained to predict one ormore values based on the input data. For the sections that follow, it isassumed that the machine learning model is trained to generate predictorequations. These predictor equations may be optimized to determine theoptimal size, position, and orientation of the implants to achieve thebest outcome or satisfaction level.

Once the procedure is complete, all patient data and available outcomedata, including the implant size, position and orientation determined bythe CASS 100, are collected and stored in the historical database. Anysubsequent calculation of the target equation via the RNN will includethe data from the previous patient in this manner, allowing forcontinuous improvement of the system.

In addition to, or as an alternative to determining implant positioning,in some embodiments, the predictor equation and associated optimizationcan be used to generate the resection planes for use with a PSKI system.When used with a PSKI system, the predictor equation computation andoptimization are completed prior to surgery. Patient anatomy isestimated using medical image data (x-ray, CT, MRI). Global optimizationof the predictor equation can provide an ideal size and position of theimplant components. Boolean intersection of the implant components andpatient anatomy is defined as the resection volume. PSKI can be producedto remove the optimized resection envelope. In this embodiment, thesurgeon cannot alter the surgical plan intraoperatively.

The surgeon may choose to alter the surgical case plan at any time priorto or during the procedure. If the surgeon elects to deviate from thesurgical case plan, the altered size, position, and/or orientation ofthe component(s) is locked, and the global optimization is refreshedbased on the new size, position, and/or orientation of the component(s)(using the techniques previously described) to find the new idealposition of the other component(s) and the corresponding resectionsneeded to be performed to achieve the newly optimized size, positionand/or orientation of the component(s). For example, if the surgeondetermines that the size, position and/or orientation of the femoralimplant in a TKA needs to be updated or modified intraoperatively, thefemoral implant position is locked relative to the anatomy, and the newoptimal position of the tibia will be calculated (via globaloptimization) considering the surgeon's changes to the femoral implantsize, position and/or orientation. Furthermore, if the surgical systemused to implement the case plan is robotically assisted (e.g., as withNAVIO® or the MAKO Rio), bone removal and bone morphology during thesurgery can be monitored in real time. If the resections made during theprocedure deviate from the surgical plan, the subsequent placement ofadditional components may be optimized by the processor taking intoaccount the actual resections that have already been made.

FIG. 7A illustrates how the Operative Patient Care System 620 may beadapted for performing case plan matching services. In this example,data is captured relating to the current patient 610 and is compared toall or portions of a historical database of patient data and associatedoutcomes 615. For example, the surgeon may elect to compare the plan forthe current patient against a subset of the historical database. Data inthe historical database can be filtered to include, for example, onlydata sets with favorable outcomes, data sets corresponding to historicalsurgeries of patients with profiles that are the same or similar to thecurrent patient profile, data sets corresponding to a particularsurgeon, data sets corresponding to a particular element of the surgicalplan (e.g., only surgeries where a particular ligament is retained), orany other criteria selected by the surgeon or medical professional. If,for example, the current patient data matches or is correlated with thatof a previous patient who experienced a good outcome, the case plan fromthe previous patient can be accessed and adapted or adopted for use withthe current patient. The predictor equation may be used in conjunctionwith an intra-operative algorithm that identifies or determines theactions associated with the case plan. Based on the relevant and/orpreselected information from the historical database, theintra-operative algorithm determines a series of recommended actions forthe surgeon to perform. Each execution of the algorithm produces thenext action in the case plan. If the surgeon performs the action, theresults are evaluated. The results of the surgeon's performing theaction are used to refine and update inputs to the intra-operativealgorithm for generating the next step in the case plan. Once the caseplan has been fully executed all data associated with the case plan,including any deviations performed from the recommended actions by thesurgeon, are stored in the database of historical data. In someembodiments, the system utilizes preoperative, intraoperative, orpostoperative modules in a piecewise fashion, as opposed to the entirecontinuum of care. In other words, caregivers can prescribe anypermutation or combination of treatment modules including the use of asingle module. These concepts are illustrated in FIG. 7B and can beapplied to any type of surgery utilizing the CASS 100.

Surgery Process Display

As noted above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 5A-5C, the various componentsof the CASS 100 generate detailed data records during surgery. The CASS100 can track and record various actions and activities of the surgeonduring each step of the surgery and compare actual activity to thepre-operative or intraoperative surgical plan. In some embodiments, asoftware tool may be employed to process this data into a format wherethe surgery can be effectively “played-back.” For example, in oneembodiment, one or more GUIs may be used that depict all of theinformation presented on the Display 125 during surgery. This can besupplemented with graphs and images that depict the data collected bydifferent tools. For example, a GUI that provides a visual depiction ofthe knee during tissue resection may provide the measured torque anddisplacement of the resection equipment adjacent to the visual depictionto better provide an understanding of any deviations that occurred fromthe planned resection area. The ability to review a playback of thesurgical plan or toggle between different phases of the actual surgeryvs. the surgical plan could provide benefits to the surgeon and/orsurgical staff, allowing such persons to identify any deficiencies orchallenging phases of a surgery so that they can be modified in futuresurgeries. Similarly, in academic settings, the aforementioned GUIs canbe used as a teaching tool for training future surgeons and/or surgicalstaff. Additionally, because the data set effectively records manyelements of the surgeon's activity, it may also be used for otherreasons (e.g., legal or compliance reasons) as evidence of correct orincorrect performance of a particular surgical procedure.

Over time, as more and more surgical data is collected, a rich libraryof data may be acquired that describes surgical procedures performed forvarious types of anatomy (knee, shoulder, hip, etc.) by differentsurgeons for different patients. Moreover, information such as implanttype and dimension, patient demographics, etc. can further be used toenhance the overall dataset. Once the dataset has been established, itmay be used to train a machine learning model (e.g., RNN) to makepredictions of how surgery will proceed based on the current state ofthe CASS 100.

Training of the machine learning model can be performed as follows. Theoverall state of the CASS 100 can be sampled over a plurality of timeperiods for the duration of the surgery. The machine learning model canthen be trained to translate a current state at a first time period to afuture state at a different time period. By analyzing the entire stateof the CASS 100 rather than the individual data items, any causaleffects of interactions between different components of the CASS 100 canbe captured. In some embodiments, a plurality of machine learning modelsmay be used rather than a single model. In some embodiments, the machinelearning model may be trained not only with the state of the CASS 100,but also with patient data (e.g., captured from an EMR) and anidentification of members of the surgical staff. This allows the modelto make predictions with even greater specificity. Moreover, it allowssurgeons to selectively make predictions based only on their ownsurgical experiences if desired.

In some embodiments, predictions or recommendations made by theaforementioned machine learning models can be directly integrated intothe surgical workflow. For example, in some embodiments, the SurgicalComputer 150 may execute the machine learning model in the backgroundmaking predictions or recommendations for upcoming actions or surgicalconditions. A plurality of states can thus be predicted or recommendedfor each period. For example, the Surgical Computer 150 may predict orrecommend the state for the next 5 minutes in 30 second increments.Using this information, the surgeon can utilize a “process display” viewof the surgery that allows visualization of the future state. Forexample, FIG. 7C depicts a series of images that may be displayed to thesurgeon depicting the implant placement interface. The surgeon can cyclethrough these images, for example, by entering a particular time intothe display 125 of the CASS 100 or instructing the system to advance orrewind the display in a specific time increment using a tactile, oral,or other instruction. In one embodiment, the process display can bepresented in the upper portion of the surgeon's field of view in the ARHMD. In some embodiments, the process display can be updated inreal-time. For example, as the surgeon moves resection tools around theplanned resection area, the process display can be updated so that thesurgeon can see how his or her actions are affecting the other factorsof the surgery.

In some embodiments, rather than simply using the current state of theCASS 100 as an input to the machine learning model, the inputs to themodel may include a planned future state. For example, the surgeon mayindicate that he or she is planning to make a particular bone resectionof the knee joint. This indication may be entered manually into theSurgical Computer 150 or the surgeon may verbally provide theindication. The Surgical Computer 150 can then produce a film stripshowing the predicted effect of the cut on the surgery. Such a filmstrip can depict over specific time increments how the surgery will beaffected, including, for example, changes in the patient's anatomy,changes to implant position and orientation, and changes regardingsurgical intervention and instrumentation, if the contemplated course ofaction were to be performed. A surgeon or medical professional caninvoke or request this type of film strip at any point in the surgery topreview how a contemplated course of action would affect the surgicalplan if the contemplated action were to be carried out.

It should be further noted that, with a sufficiently trained machinelearning model and robotic CASS, various elements of the surgery can beautomated such that the surgeon only needs to be minimally involved, forexample, by only providing approval for various steps of the surgery.For example, robotic control using arms or other means can be graduallyintegrated into the surgical workflow over time with the surgeon slowlybecoming less and less involved with manual interaction versus robotoperation. The machine learning model in this case can learn whatrobotic commands are required to achieve certain states of theCASS-implemented plan. Eventually, the machine learning model may beused to produce a film strip or similar view or display that predictsand can preview the entire surgery from an initial state. For example,an initial state may be defined that includes the patient information,the surgical plan, implant characteristics, and surgeon preferences.Based on this information, the surgeon could preview an entire surgeryto confirm that the CASS-recommended plan meets the surgeon'sexpectations and/or requirements. Moreover, because the output of themachine learning model is the state of the CASS 100 itself, commands canbe derived to control the components of the CASS to achieve eachpredicted state. In the extreme case, the entire surgery could thus beautomated based on just the initial state information.

Using the Point Probe to Acquire High-Resolution of Key Areas During HipSurgeries

Use of the point probe is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/955,742 entitled “Systems and Methods for Planning and PerformingImage Free Implant Revision Surgery,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. Briefly, an optically tracked pointprobe may be used to map the actual surface of the target bone thatneeds a new implant. Mapping is performed after removal of the defectiveor worn-out implant, as well as after removal of any diseased orotherwise unwanted bone. A plurality of points is collected on the bonesurfaces by brushing or scraping the entirety of the remaining bone withthe tip of the point probe. This is referred to as tracing or “painting”the bone. The collected points are used to create a three-dimensionalmodel or surface map of the bone surfaces in the computerized planningsystem. The created 3D model of the remaining bone is then used as thebasis for planning the procedure and necessary implant sizes. Analternative technique that uses X-rays to determine a 3D model isdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/387,151, filed Apr. 17,2019 and entitled “Three-Dimensional Selective Bone Matching” and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/789,930, filed Feb. 13, 2020 and entitled“Three-Dimensional Selective Bone Matching,” the entirety of each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

For hip applications, the point probe painting can be used to acquirehigh resolution data in key areas such as the acetabular rim andacetabular fossa. This can allow a surgeon to obtain a detailed viewbefore beginning to ream. For example, in one embodiment, the pointprobe may be used to identify the floor (fossa) of the acetabulum. As iswell understood in the art, in hip surgeries, it is important to ensurethat the floor of the acetabulum is not compromised during reaming so asto avoid destruction of the medial wall. If the medial wall wereinadvertently destroyed, the surgery would require the additional stepof bone grafting. With this in mind, the information from the pointprobe can be used to provide operating guidelines to the acetabularreamer during surgical procedures. For example, the acetabular reamermay be configured to provide haptic feedback to the surgeon when he orshe reaches the floor or otherwise deviates from the surgical plan.Alternatively, the CASS 100 may automatically stop the reamer when thefloor is reached or when the reamer is within a threshold distance.

As an additional safeguard, the thickness of the area between theacetabulum and the medial wall could be estimated. For example, once theacetabular rim and acetabular fossa has been painted and registered tothe pre-operative 3D model, the thickness can readily be estimated bycomparing the location of the surface of the acetabulum to the locationof the medial wall. Using this knowledge, the CASS 100 may providealerts or other responses in the event that any surgical activity ispredicted to protrude through the acetabular wall while reaming.

The point probe may also be used to collect high resolution data ofcommon reference points used in orienting the 3D model to the patient.For example, for pelvic plane landmarks like the ASIS and the pubicsymphysis, the surgeon may use the point probe to paint the bone torepresent a true pelvic plane. Given a more complete view of theselandmarks, the registration software has more information to orient the3D model.

The point probe may also be used to collect high-resolution datadescribing the proximal femoral reference point that could be used toincrease the accuracy of implant placement. For example, therelationship between the tip of the Greater Trochanter (GT) and thecenter of the femoral head is commonly used as reference point to alignthe femoral component during hip arthroplasty. The alignment is highlydependent on proper location of the GT; thus, in some embodiments, thepoint probe is used to paint the GT to provide a high-resolution view ofthe area. Similarly, in some embodiments, it may be useful to have ahigh-resolution view of the Lesser Trochanter (LT). For example, duringhip arthroplasty, the Don Classification helps to select a stem thatwill maximize the ability of achieving a press-fit during surgery toprevent micromotion of femoral components post-surgery and ensureoptimal bony ingrowth. As is generated understood in the art, the DonClassification measures the ratio between the canal width at the LT andthe canal width 10 cm below the LT. The accuracy of the classificationis highly dependent on the correct location of the relevant anatomy.Thus, it may be advantageous to paint the LT to provide ahigh-resolution view of the area.

In some embodiments, the point probe is used to paint the femoral neckto provide high-resolution data that allows the surgeon to betterunderstand where to make the neck cut. The navigation system can thenguide the surgeon as they perform the neck cut. For example, asunderstood in the art, the femoral neck angle is measured by placing oneline down the center of the femoral shaft and a second line down thecenter of the femoral neck. Thus, a high-resolution view of the femoralneck (and possibly the femoral shaft as well) would provide a moreaccurate calculation of the femoral neck angle.

High-resolution femoral head neck data also could be used for anavigated resurfacing procedure where the software/hardware aids thesurgeon in preparing the proximal femur and placing the femoralcomponent. As is generally understood in the art, during hipresurfacing, the femoral head and neck are not removed; rather, the headis trimmed and capped with a smooth metal covering. In this case, itwould be advantageous for the surgeon to paint the femoral head and capso that an accurate assessment of their respective geometries can beunderstood and used to guide trimming and placement of the femoralcomponent.

Registration of Pre-Operative Data to Patient Anatomy Using the PointProbe

As noted above, in some embodiments, a 3D model is developed during thepre-operative stage based on 2D or 3D images of the anatomical area ofinterest. In such embodiments, registration between the 3D model and thesurgical site is performed prior to the surgical procedure. Theregistered 3D model may be used to track and measure the patient'sanatomy and surgical tools intraoperatively.

During the surgical procedure, landmarks are acquired to facilitateregistration of this pre-operative 3D model to the patient's anatomy.For knee procedures, these points could comprise the femoral headcenter, distal femoral axis point, medial and lateral epicondyles,medial and lateral malleolus, proximal tibial mechanical axis point, andtibial A/P direction. For hip procedures these points could comprise theanterior superior iliac spine (ASIS), the pubic symphysis, points alongthe acetabular rim and within the hemisphere, the greater trochanter(GT), and the lesser trochanter (LT).

In a revision surgery, the surgeon may paint certain areas that containanatomical defects to allow for better visualization and navigation ofimplant insertion. These defects can be identified based on analysis ofthe pre-operative images. For example, in one embodiment, eachpre-operative image is compared to a library of images showing “healthy”anatomy (i.e., without defects). Any significant deviations between thepatient's images and the healthy images can be flagged as a potentialdefect. Then, during surgery, the surgeon can be warned of the possibledefect via a visual alert on the display 125 of the CASS 100. Thesurgeon can then paint the area to provide further detail regarding thepotential defect to the Surgical Computer 150.

In some embodiments, the surgeon may use a non-contact method forregistration of bony anatomy intra-incision. For example, in oneembodiment, laser scanning is employed for registration. A laser stripeis projected over the anatomical area of interest and the heightvariations of the area are detected as changes in the line. Othernon-contact optical methods, such as white light interferometry orultrasound, may alternatively be used for surface height measurement orto register the anatomy. For example, ultrasound technology may bebeneficial where there is soft tissue between the registration point andthe bone being registered (e.g., ASIS, pubic symphysis in hipsurgeries), thereby providing for a more accurate definition of anatomicplanes.

Referring to FIG. 8A, an optical tracking system 800A can be used tofacilitate capture of angular position data in a surgical environment.In this example, the optical tracking system 800A includes a referenceframe 10 on which three light Sources 11A-C are rigidly attached,although another number of light sources can be used in other examples.The light sources 11A-C are controlled (e.g., sequentially enabled orilluminated) by a driver 13. Tracker devices 20A-B are attached on apatient 40 and an instrument 50 held by a surgeon 60, respectively,although tracker devices can be located elsewhere in other examples andany number of tracker devices can be used.

Each of the tracker devices 20A-B includes first and second opticalsensor modules 21A-B and 21C-D, respectively, in this example, althoughmore than two optical sensor modules can be used in other examples. Eachof the tracker devices 20A-B transmits the angular positions of thelight sources 11A-C to a central processor device 30. The centralprocessor device 30 uses the angular position data to calculate posedata (i.e., position and orientation) for the tracker devices 20A-B. Thepose data can be communicated to a surgical application configured touse the pose data to output a display associated with the surgicalprocedure and/or automatically control a surgical instrument (e.g., arobotic arm or other surgical tool) used in the surgical procedure, forexample.

The reference frame 10 of the optical tracking system 800A could beintegrated with, or fixed within, a room (e.g., on panels fixed in theceiling or directly in the walls of an operating room). Alternatively orin combination, the reference frame 10 could be located on or in anoperating lamp, on or in other medical equipment (e.g., a scanner,robot, c-arm), on the surgeon's 60 head (e.g. on an head mounted displayor on an orthopedic helmet), or on the patient 40. In some examples, thereference frame 10 is composed of carbon/invar tubes, although othertypes of materials can also be used. In yet other examples, thereference frame 10 is integrated with one or more of the tracker device20A-B, as described and illustrated in more detail below with referenceto FIG. 8B.

Light sources 11A-C are mounted on or in the reference frame 10. Each ofthe light sources 11A-C in this example is an infrared light emittingdiode (LED) configured to emit light in the infrared range, althoughanother type of radiant energy (e.g., electromagnetic radiation) can beused in other examples. The light sources 11A-C are connected to thedriver 13, which is configured to ensure that only one of the lightsources 11A-C is emitting at a time. In some examples, the driver 13 isintegrated with one or more of the tracker devices 20A-B, as describedand illustrated in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8B, althoughthe driver could be located elsewhere in other examples.

Accordingly, the driver 13 is an electronic circuit that alternatelyswitches or enables the light sources 11A-C in sequence. The simplestsequence is to switch the light sources 11A-C one after the other in aloop, although other patterns could also be used. At the end of asequence or pattern, the light sources 11A-C should be uniquelyidentified by the different tracker devices 20A-B. The pattern is knownby, and synchronized with, the first and second optical sensor modules21A-D of the tracker devices 20A-B. In other examples, several referenceframes could be used and the light sources coupled to the severalreference frames could be synchronized such that each of the trackers20A-B can sense the output of a unique one of the light sources at anyparticular time.

Synchronization of the driver 13 with the tracker devices 20A-B can bewired, wireless, or implicit. In a wireless communication, infraredtransmission can be used to guarantee line of sight. Implicitsynchronization can be implemented by using a global time service (e.g.,radio-frequency or time protocol over Internet) in which each of thelight sources 11A-C is allocated an absolute time slot.

Referring to FIG. 8B, another optical tracking system 800B can be usedto facilitate improved capture of angular position data in a surgicalenvironment. In this example, the tracker devices 20A-B each include anintegrated reference frame 10A-B, respectively, and an integrated driver13. The reference frames 10A-B include light sources 11A-C and thetracker device 20A is effectively configured to track the trackingdevice 20B, and vice versa, in a reciprocal arrangement. The trackerdevices 20A-B each communicate wirelessly to the central processordevice 30 in the reciprocal optical tracking system 800B, although othertypes of connections can also be used. Exemplary tracker devices 20A-Bare described and illustrated in more detail in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/555,529, filed on Sep. 4, 2017, which is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

This technology utilizes at least two optical tracker devices 20A-B andadvantageously determines when the optical sensor modules 21A-B or 21C-Dof one of the tracker devices 20A-B are obscured or otherwise incapableof communicating sufficiently accurate data, as described andillustrated in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 12-13. When oneof the tracker devices 20A-B is obscured, only the output of the otherof the tracker devices 20A-B is used by the central processor device 30in the pose determination. When neither of the tracker devices 20A-B isobscured, the output of both tracker devices can be leveraged in thepose determination to improve accuracy.

Referring to FIG. 9, a block diagram of the tracker device 20A isillustrated. The tracker device 20A in this example includes first andsecond optical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively, processor 62, memory64, a communication interface 66, an alert indicator 68, and lightsources 11A-C of reference frame 10A, which are coupled together by abus 70, although the tracker device 20A can include other types ornumbers of elements in other configurations in other examples. While thetracker device 20A is described and illustrated herein with reference toFIG. 9, in some examples, the tracker device 20B is substantially thesame as the tracker device 20A, although the tracker devices 20A-B canalso have different components and/or configurations in other examples.Additionally, the tracker device 20A includes the integrated lightsources 11A-C and driver 13, as described and illustrated in more detailabove with reference to FIG. 8B, although the tracker devicesillustrated in FIG. 8A do not include those components, and otherconfigurations can also be used.

The first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B in this example arerigidly fixed to the tracker device 20A and are configured to detect theangular position(s) of an emitting light source. The first and secondoptical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively, can be CMOS/CCD arraysensors and/or an optical system enabled to perform triangulation on asingle array sensor. One exemplary type of such sensor is thespaceCoder™ available from Centre Suisse d'Electronique et deMicrotechnique SA (CSEM) of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, although other typesof optical sensor modules can also be used in other examples. One ormore of the first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively,can be equipped with filter(s) in order to optimize the signal detectionof the wavelength of an emitting light source. For example, a nearinfrared pass band filter can be used.

The processor 62 of the tracker device 20A may execute programmedinstructions stored in the memory 64 of the tracker device 20A for anynumber of the functions described and illustrated herein. The processor62 may include one or more central processing units (CPUs) or one ormore processing cores, configurable hardware logic device(s) (e.g.,FPGA(s) and/or ASIC(s)), for example, although other types ofprocessor(s) can also be used.

The memory 64 of the tracker device 20A stores these programmedinstructions for one or more portions of the present technology asdescribed and illustrated herein, although some or all of the programmedinstructions could be stored elsewhere. A variety of different types ofmemory storage devices, such as random access memory (RAM), read onlymemory (ROM), flash memory, and/or other computer readable media thatcan be read from and written to by a magnetic, optical, or other readingand writing system that is coupled to the processor 62, can be used forthe memory 64.

Accordingly, the memory 64 of the tracker device 20 can store one ormore modules that can include executable instructions that, whenexecuted by the tracker device 20A, cause the tracker device 20A toperform actions, such as to transmit, receive, or otherwise processcommunications, and to perform other actions described and illustratedbelow with reference to FIGS. 11-13. The modules can be implemented ascomponents of other modules. Further, the modules can be implemented asapplications, operating system extensions, plugins, or the like.

The executable instructions, when executed by the tracker device 20A,cause the tracker device 20A to synchronize the acquisition of the firstand second optical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively, so that they aresimultaneously sensing a light source when enabled. The processor 62further optionally performs the angular calculation and transmits thecorresponding data to the central processor device 30.

In this particular example, the memory 64 of the tracker device 20Afurther includes the driver 13 and a quality analysis module 72. Thedriver 13 is implemented as a software module configured to control theoperation of the light sources 11A-C via the processor 62 in thisexample in which the light sources are integrated with the trackerdevice 20A, although other configurations can also be used.

The quality analysis module 72 is configured to analyze a quality of acurrent image obtained by the first and second optical sensor modules21A-B, respectively, when one of the light sources 11A-C is enabledbased on corresponding background images obtained by the first andsecond optical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively. For example, adifference between a background image and a current image below athreshold can indicate that the background image is saturated (e.g., dueto being “blinded” by infrared sunlight).

In another example, the saturation level of the background image and/ora signal-to-noise ratio of the current image can be used by the qualityanalysis module 72 to determine whether the quality of the current imageis below a threshold, indicating that one or both of the first or secondoptical sensor modules 21A-B may be obscured and causing the qualityanalysis module to initiate an alert. The operation of the qualityanalysis module 72 in some examples is described and illustrated in moredetail later with reference to FIGS. 12-13.

Referring back to FIG. 9, the communication interface 66 of the trackerdevice 20A operatively couples and communicates between the trackerdevice 20A and the central processor device 30. In these examples, thetracker device 20A and central processor device 30 can be coupledtogether by a direct, wired connection or wireless communicationnetwork, for example, although other types of connections orconfigurations can also be used. By way of example only, the connectioncan include local area network(s) (LAN(s)) that use TCP/IP overEthernet, Bluetooth™, BTLE, or other type of short range protocol, oranother type of protocol or communication network.

The alert indicator 68 of the tracker device 20A is configured to outputan indication of an alert in response to an alert generated by thequality analysis module 72. Accordingly, the alert indicator 68 can be arelatively simple LED configured to illuminate in order to communicatean alert, a relatively complex display screen configured to display atext alert message, or any other type of indicator device. In oneexample, the alert indicator 68 is an LED that changes to a particularcolor (e.g., red) when the quality analysis module 72 determines thatone or both of the first or second optical sensor modules 21A-B may beobscured. In other examples, the alert can be relayed to the centralprocessor device 30 for example in addition to, or instead of, enablingthe alert indicator 68.

Referring to FIG. 10, a block diagram of the central processor device 30is illustrated. The central processor device 30 obtains angular positiondata from the tracker devices 20A-B and determines pose data for thetracker devices 20A-B based on the obtained angular position data. Thepose data can then be used by other application(s) to control and/ordisplay portions of the surgical procedure. The central processor device30 in this example includes processor(s) 74, memory 76, a communicationinterface 78, and a display device 80, which are coupled together by abus 82, although the central processor device 30 can include other typesor numbers of elements in other configurations in other examples.

The processor(s) 74 of the central processor device 30 may executeprogrammed instructions stored in the memory 76 of the central processordevice 30 for any number of the functions described and illustratedherein. The processor(s) 74 may include one or more central processingunits (CPUs) or one or more processing cores, for example, althoughother types of processor(s) can also be used.

The memory 76 of the central processor device 30 stores these programmedinstructions for one or more portions of the present technology asdescribed and illustrated herein, although some or all of the programmedinstructions could be stored elsewhere. A variety of different types ofmemory storage devices, such as RAM, ROM, hard disk, SSDs, flash memory,and/or other computer readable media that are read from and written toby a magnetic, optical, or other reading and writing system that iscoupled to the processor(s) 74, can be used for the memory 76.

Accordingly, the memory 76 of the central processor device 30 can storeone or more modules that can include computer executable instructionsthat, when executed by the central processor device 30, cause thecentral processor device 30 to perform actions, such as to transmit,receive, or otherwise process communications, for example, and toperform other actions described and illustrated below with reference toFIG. 13, for example. The modules can be implemented as components ofother modules. Further, the modules can be implemented as applications,operating system extensions, plugins, or the like.

In this particular example, the memory 76 of the central processordevice 30 includes a pose processing module 84. The pose processingmodule 84 is configured to process the angular position data obtainedfrom the tracker devices 20A-B to generate pose data indicative of theposition and orientation of the tracker devices 20A-B. In some examples,at least three distinct 3D light source positions are known, and the 3Dposition of the light sources 11A-C can be calculated using conventionalstereo-vision triangulation techniques, or monocular ones such as Arunor Horn methods. As the position of the light sources 11A-C are acquiredsuccessively, the direct computation of the pose data of a moving one ofthe tracker devices 20A-B is noisy. Noise can be reduced byinterpolation or extrapolation of the position of the light sources11A-C at a specific time. The pose processing module 84 is furtherconfigured to determine whether sufficient angular position data hasbeen received from one or more of the tracker devices 20A-B fordetermination of the pose data. The operation of the pose processingmodule 84 is described and illustrated in more detail below withreference to FIG. 13.

Referring back to FIG. 10, the communication interface 78 of the centralprocessor device 30 operatively couples and communicates between thecentral processor device and the tracker devices 20A-B. In theseexamples, the central processor device 30 and the tracker devices 20A-Bcan be coupled together by a direct, wired connection or communicationnetwork(s), for example, although other types of connections orconfigurations can also be used.

By way of example only, the connection(s) and/or communicationnetwork(s) can include local area network(s) (LAN(s)) that use TCP/IPover Ethernet and industry-standard protocols or Bluetooth™ BTLE, orother short range protocol, for example, although other types or numbersof protocols or communication networks can be used.

The display device 80 of the central processor device 30 can include anytype of monitor or screen configured to process pose data to generateand output a visual image. Optionally, the central processor device 30can further include an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard ormouse, or any other type of device configured to enable a human operatorto interact with the central processor device, such as to input and/orview selection, configurations, and other data, for example. In yetother examples, the display device 80 and the input device areintegrated into a single device, such as in the form of a capacitivetouchscreen, for example, and other types and numbers of input and/ordisplay devices could also be used in other examples.

While the central processor device 30 is illustrated in this example asincluding a single device, the central processor device 30 in otherexamples can include a plurality of devices each having one or moreprocessors (each processor with one or more processing cores) thatimplement one or more steps of this technology. In these examples, oneor more of the devices can have a dedicated communication interface ormemory. Alternatively, one or more of the devices can utilize thememory, communication interface, or other hardware or softwarecomponents of one or more other devices included in the centralprocessor device 30. Additionally, one or more of the devices thattogether comprise the central processor device 30 in other examples canbe standalone devices or integrated with one or more other devices orapparatuses. Additionally, there may be more central processor devicesthan are illustrated in FIGS. 8A-B.

In addition, two or more computing systems or devices can be substitutedfor any one of the systems or devices in any example. Accordingly,principles and advantages of distributed processing, such as redundancyand replication also can be implemented, as desired, to increase therobustness and performance of the devices and systems of the examples.Further, the central processor device 30 can be integrated with, orcommunicably coupled to, the surgical computer 150 of the CASS system100 in some examples.

Even further, one or more operations of the quality analysis module 72and/or pose processing module 84 can be performed by the centralprocessor device 30 and/or tracker device 20A, respectively. Forexample, the tracker device 20A can send raw data obtained by theoptical sensor modules 21A-B to the central processor device 30, whichcan generate the angular position data. Alternatively, the trackerdevice 20A can process the angular position data to generate the posedata, which is then communicated to the central processor device 30.Other permutations are also possible.

The examples may also be embodied as one or more non-transitory computeror machine readable media having instructions stored thereon, such as inthe memory 64 of the tracker device 20A and/or the memory 76 of thecentral processor device 30, for one or more portions of the presenttechnology, as described and illustrated by way of the examples herein.The instructions in some examples include executable code that, whenexecuted by one or more processors, such as the processor 62 of thetracker device 20A and/or the processor(s) 74 of the central processordevice 30, cause the processors to carry out steps necessary toimplement the methods of the examples of this technology that aredescribed and illustrated herein.

Referring to FIG. 11, a sequence diagram illustrating an acquisitionsequence for the exemplary optical tracking system 800A that includestracker devices 20A-B, reference frame 10 with light sources 11A-C,driver 13, and central processor 30 is illustrated. In this example, thedriver 13 first switches on light source #1 (e.g., light source 11A),which triggers the acquisition of optical sensor modules 21A-D oftracker devices 20A-B. At the end of the acquisition, the trackerdevices 20A-B send angular position data indicating the angularpositions of light source #1 to the central processor device 30.

The same process is performed for the light source #2 (e.g., lightsource 11B), light source #3 (e.g., light source 11C), as well as otherpotential light sources. After receiving all of the angular positiondata, the central processor device 30 determines the pose of each of thetracker devices 20A-B and transmits the associated pose data to thesurgical application 86, which can use the pose data to automaticallycontrol a surgical tool or instrument and/or modify a display on thedisplay device 80, for example.

While the acquisition sequence illustrated in FIG. 11 is described abovein relation to the exemplary optical tracking system 800A, in theoptical tracking system 800B, the reference frames 10A-B synchronouslyor asynchronously enable a respective set of light sources 11A-C of eachreference frame 10A-B on each of the tracker devices 20A-B,respectively, which triggers the acquisition of optical sensor modules21A-B and 21C-D of an opposing one of the tracker devices. As will nowbe described and illustrated in detail with reference to FIGS. 12-13,this technology advantageously uses background images obtained (e.g., bythe first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B of the tracker device20A) between enablement of each of light sources 11A-C (e.g., ofreference frame 10B integral with tracker device 20B) to determine(e.g., with the tracker device 20A) that one or more optical sensormodules (e.g., first and/or second optical sensor modules 21A-B,respectively) are obscured or “blinded” such that the associated angularposition data is inaccurate and should be discarded.

Referring to FIG. 12, a flowchart of an exemplary method for capture ofangular position data by the tracker device 20A using background imagesis illustrated. In step 1200, the tracker device 20A in this examplebinds with the central processor device 30 and synchronizes with thedriver 13 of the light sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of thetracker device 20B. For example, the tracker device 20A can perform aBluetooth™ pairing with the central processor device 30 in order to bindwith the central processor device 30. As explained in more detail above,the synchronization between the tracker device 20A and the driver 13 ofthe light sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of the tracker device20B can be explicit or implicit, and allows the tracker device 20A todetermine when the first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B,respectively, should capture background images (i.e., between enablementof each of the light sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of thetracker device 20B in this example) and current images (i.e., when oneof the light sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of the trackerdevice 20B is enabled) that can be used to generate angular positiondata.

In step 1202, the tracker device 20A initiates capture of a first set offirst and second background images with the first and second opticalsensor modules 21A-B, respectively. The first and second backgroundimages are obtained when none of the light sources 11A-C of thereference frame 10B of the tracker device 20B is illuminated or enabled,the timing of which is determined based on the synchronization with thedriver 13 of the tracker device 20B. The background images are used toanalyze the quality of the current images from which the angularposition data is generated, as described and illustrated in more detailbelow.

In step 1204, the tracker device 20A determines whether a first one ofthe light sources (e.g., light source 11A of the reference frame 10B ofthe tracker device 20B) is enabled by the driver 13 of the trackerdevice 20B based on the synchronization with the driver. If the trackerdevice 20A determines that the light source 11A of the reference frame10B of the tracker device 20B is not enabled, then the No branch istaken back to step 1204. In this manner, the tracker device 20Aeffectively waits for the enablement of the light source 11A. However,if the tracker device 20A determines that the light source 11A of thereference frame 10B of the tracker device 20B is enabled, then the Yesbranch is taken to step 1206.

In step 1206, the tracker device 20A obtains a first set of first andsecond current images from the first and second optical sensor modules21A-B, respectively. The first set of first and second current images,when not obscured, reflect the angular position of the light source 11Aof the reference frame 10B of the tracker device 20B with respect to thefirst and second optical sensor modules 21A-B, respectively.

In step 1208, the tracker device 20A determines whether the acquisitionsequence is completed based on the synchronization with the driver 13 ofthe tracker device 20B. The acquisition sequence is completed when thetracker device 20A has captured three background images and threecurrent images with each of the first and second optical sensor modules21A-B following sequential enablement of each of the light sources 11A-Cof the reference frame 10B of the tracker device 20B. Accordingly, in afirst iteration, the tracker device 20A will determine that theacquisition sequence has not completed, and the No branch will be takenback to step 1202 in which the tracker device 20A will capture anotherset of background images with the first and second optical sensormodules 21A-B. Subsequent to three iterations in this particularexample, the tracker device 20A will determine in step 1208 that theacquisition sequence is completed, and the Yes branch will be taken tostep 1210.

In step 1210, the tracker device 20A determines a quality of the currentimages captured in each iteration of step 1206 based on the backgroundimages captured in each iteration of step 1202. In this example, each ofthe current images in the first, second, and third sets of currentimages is compared with a corresponding one of the background imagescaptured immediately prior to the capture of the current image and withthe same one of the optical sensor modules 21A-B.

Various techniques can be used to determine the quality of the currentimages based on the comparison. For example, a difference in pixelvalues between corresponding ones of the background and current imagesbelow a threshold may indicate that the associated one of the opticalsensor modules 21A-B was obscured during the capture of the images. Inother examples, a respective saturation level of the correspondingbackground and current images can be analyzed to determine the qualityof the current image. In yet other examples, a signal-to-noise ratio ofone or more of the corresponding background and/or current images can beutilized to determine the quality of the current images. Other imageprocessing techniques can also be used.

Additionally, in some examples, the tracker device 20A can either relyonly on the current images from the first and second optical sensormodules 21A-B, and/or perform a background subtraction in order toremove environmental pollution, optionally depending on the quality ofthe current images, instead of relying on the comparison describedabove. Further, in case of a relatively unpolluted surgical environment,the tracker device 20A could also decide not to use any backgroundimages in the determination in step 1210, and other methods foranalyzing the quality of the current images can also be used in otherexamples.

In step 1212, the tracker device 20A determines whether the qualitydetermined in step 1210 is below a threshold quality level for any ofthe current images captured in the current iteration. Quality of acurrent image below a threshold quality level is indicative of anassociated one or more of the optical sensor modules 21A-B beingobscured or “blinded” during the capture. For example, sun reflection inthe infrared range can enter a surgical environment via a window andsaturate one or more image sensors of one or more of the optical sensormodules 21A-B, which may result in a relatively low quality or unusablecurrent image. If the tracker device 20A determines that the quality isbelow the quality threshold level for at least one of the currentimages, then the Yes branch is taken to step 1214.

In step 1214, the tracker device 20A outputs at least one alert. In oneexample, the tracker device 20A illuminates the alert indicator 68and/or transmits an alert message to the central processor device 30.Optionally, the alert indicator 68 can correspond with one of the firstor second optical sensor modules 21A-B that captured the relatively lowquality current image. Other types of alerts can also be generated instep 1214 in other examples.

In step 1216, the tracker device 20A determines whether sufficient datahas been obtained via the set of current images for each of the opticalsensor modules 21A-B. In this example, relatively high quality currentimages captured during enablement of each of the light sources 11A-C ofthe reference frame 10B of the tracker device 20B by both of the opticalsensor modules 21A-B is considered sufficient for determination of thepose of the tracker device 20A. Accordingly, one of the optical sensormodules 21A-B being obscured may prevent determination of the pose ofthe tracker device 20A, or at least result in a significant degradationof the quality of the pose determination requiring a discarding of theassociated angular position data. However, other types of sufficiencythresholds can be used in other examples.

If the tracker device 20A determines that sufficient data has not beenobtained, then the No branch is taken back to step 1202. However, if thetracker device 20A determines in step 1212 that none of the currentimages is below a quality threshold level (i.e., the No branch istaken), or if the tracker device 20A determines in step 1216 thatsufficient data has been obtained via the set of current images (i.e.,the Yes branch is taken), then the tracker device 20A proceeds to step1218.

In step 1218, the tracker device 20A determines angular position dataand sends the determined angular position data to the central processordevice 30 to facilitate pose determination. Subsequent to sending theangular position data, the tracker device 20A proceeds back to step 1202and again captures background images in a subsequent iteration.

In other examples, the raw current image data can be sent to the centralprocessor 30, which is configured to determine the angular position dataand pose data, and other configurations can also be used. Further, oneor more of steps 1202-1218 can be performed in parallel or in adifferent order. For example, steps 1202-1208 can be performed for acurrent iteration while steps 1210-1218 are performed using thebackground and current images captured during a prior iteration of steps1202-1208.

In the exemplary method described and illustrated with reference to FIG.12, background images are captured between enablement of each of thelight sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of the tracker device20B. However, in another example, one background image can be capturedby each of the first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B before aset of consecutive (e.g., three) images is captured by each of the firstand second optical sensor modules 21A-B during sequential enablement ofeach of the light sources 11A-C of the reference frame 10B of thetracker device 20B.

In other words, each current image can be compared to a differentbackground image to determine the current image quality or each currentimage captured by the same one of the first or second optical sensormodules 21A-B can be compared to the same background image to determinethe current image quality. In these examples, the acquisition sequenceconsists of capture of a background image followed by three currentimages for each of the optical sensor modules 21A-B. Other types andnumber of background images can also be used in other examples. WhileFIG. 12 has been described with reference to tracker device 20A, one ormore of steps 1200-1218 can also be performed (e.g., in parallel) bytracker device 20B.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 13, a flowchart of an exemplarymethod for pose determination using the central processor device 30 isillustrated. In step 1300 in this example, the central processor device30 binds with the tracker device 20A. The binding can be performed asdescribed and illustrated in more detail above with reference to step1200 in FIG. 12, although other types of pairings can also be initiatedin step 1300.

In step 1302, the central processor device 30 optionally determineswhether an alert has been received from the tracker device 20A. Thealert could have been output by the tracker device 20A as described andillustrated in more detail above with reference to step 1214 of FIG. 12,for example. If the central processor device 30 determines that an alerthas been received, then the Yes branch is taken to step 1304.

In step 1304, the central processor device 30 outputs the alert, such asto the display device 80. By outputting the alert, such is in a visualand/or textual format, on the display device 80, a surgeon or assistantcan observe that the tracker device 20A has communicated that one ormore optical sensor modules 21A-B are obscured and/or are obtainingrelatively low quality images insufficient to determine relativelyaccurate angular position data. In some examples, another alert iscontemporaneously output on the tracker device 20A itself (e.g., via thealert indicator 68, as described and illustrated in more detail above)to alert a surgeon that is not observing the display device 80 of thecentral processor device 30. However, if the central processor device 30determines in step 1302 that an alert has not been received and the Nobranch is taken, the central processor device 30 proceeds to step 1306.

In step 1306, the central processor device 30 determines whether angularposition data has been received. In the example described andillustrated herein, the angular position data is received when thetracker device 20A can generate the angular position data based on thesufficiency of the current image quality through an entire acquisitionsequence by the first and second optical sensor modules 21A-B, althoughother thresholds for communicating the angular position data can also beused. Accordingly, if the angular position data is received by thecentral processor 30, then the tracker device 20A determined that theoptical sensor modules 21A-B were not obscured during the currentacquisition sequence. If the central processor device 30 determines thatno angular position data is received, then the No branch is taken tostep 1302, and the central processor device 30 effectively waits for thealert to clear in this example. Other actions can also be taken inresponse to the negative determination in step 1306. In contrast, if thecentral processor device 30 determines that angular position data hasbeen received from the tracker 20A, then the Yes branch is taken to step1308.

In step 1308, the central processor device 30 determines position andorientation pose data based on the angular position data. As explainedabove, in other examples, the central processor device 30 receives rawcurrent image data from the tracker device 20A and determines theangular position data prior to determining the pose data. Otherarrangements can also be used.

In step 1310, the central processor device 30 sends the pose data to thesurgical application 86 to facilitate, for example, automated control ofsurgical instruments and/or updated real-time display of the surgicalprocedure. The surgical application 86 can be hosted by the centralprocessor device 30 and/or the surgical computer 150, for example.Subsequent to sending the pose data, the central processor device 30proceeds back to step 1302 and waits for receipt of either an alert orangular position data in a subsequent iteration.

While FIG. 13 has been described with reference to the interactionbetween the central processor device 30 and the tracker device 20A, thecentral processor device can perform one or more of steps 1300-1310(e.g., in parallel) based on interaction with tracker device 20B.Accordingly, if an alert is received from tracker device 20A, then thecentral processor device 30 will proceed to generate pose data in step1308 using only the angular position data received from tracker device20B in step 1306, and vice versa. In iterations in which angularposition data is received from the both of the tracker device 20A-B, thepose determination reflected in the post data generated in step 1308will have improved accuracy.

Accordingly, as described and illustrated by way of the examples herein,this technology advantageously improves optical surgical tracking byproviding redundant optical sensor modules on a tracking device anddetermining and alerting when one or more of the optical sensor modulesare obscured within the surgical environment. Based on the alerting,this technology allows a surgeon or assistant to resolve the failure ofone or more of the optical sensor modules to ensure that the angularposition and pose data is determined with sufficient accuracy, therebyimproving the operation of surgical applications that rely on such dataas well as associated patient outcomes.

While various illustrative embodiments incorporating the principles ofthe present teachings have been disclosed, the present teachings are notlimited to the disclosed embodiments. Instead, this application isintended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the presentteachings and use its general principles. Further, this application isintended to cover such departures from the present disclosure that arewithin known or customary practice in the art to which these teachingspertain.

In the above detailed description, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbolstypically identify similar components, unless context dictatesotherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the presentdisclosure are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be used,and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit orscope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readilyunderstood that various features of the present disclosure, as generallydescribed herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged,substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety ofdifferent configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplatedherein.

The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particularembodiments described in this application, which are intended asillustrations of various features. Many modifications and variations canbe made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparentto those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods andapparatuses within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to thoseenumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from theforegoing descriptions. It is to be understood that this disclosure isnot limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds, compositions orbiological systems, which can, of course, vary. It is also to beunderstood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to belimiting.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein are generally intended as “open” terms (for example, theterm “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limitedto,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” theterm “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limitedto,” et cetera). While various compositions, methods, and devices aredescribed in terms of “comprising” various components or steps(interpreted as meaning “including, but not limited to”), thecompositions, methods, and devices can also “consist essentially of” or“consist of” the various components and steps, and such terminologyshould be interpreted as defining essentially closed-member groups.

In addition, even if a specific number is explicitly recited, thoseskilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should beinterpreted to mean at least the recited number (for example, the barerecitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, means at leasttwo recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in thoseinstances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C,et cetera” is used, in general such a construction is intended in thesense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (forexample, “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include butnot be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and Btogether, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and Ctogether, et cetera). In those instances where a convention analogous to“at least one of A, B, or C, et cetera” is used, in general such aconstruction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art wouldunderstand the convention (for example, “a system having at least one ofA, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, et cetera). It will be furtherunderstood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive wordand/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in thedescription, sample embodiments, or drawings, should be understood tocontemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either ofthe terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will beunderstood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

In addition, where features of the disclosure are described in terms ofMarkush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that thedisclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual memberor subgroup of members of the Markush group.

As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and allpurposes, such as in terms of providing a written description, allranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subrangesand combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easilyrecognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range beingbroken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths,tenths, et cetera. As a non-limiting example, each range discussedherein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third andupper third, et cetera. As will also be understood by one skilled in theart all language such as “up to,” “at least,” and the like include thenumber recited and refer to ranges that can be subsequently broken downinto subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by oneskilled in the art, a range includes each individual member. Thus, forexample, a group having 1-3 components refers to groups having 1, 2, or3 components. Similarly, a group having 1-5 components refers to groupshaving 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 components, and so forth.

The term “about,” as used herein, refers to variations in a numericalquantity that can occur, for example, through measuring or handlingprocedures in the real world; through inadvertent error in theseprocedures; through differences in the manufacture, source, or purity ofcompositions or reagents; and the like. Typically, the term “about” asused herein means greater or lesser than the value or range of valuesstated by 1/10 of the stated values, e.g., ±10%. The term “about” alsorefers to variations that would be recognized by one skilled in the artas being equivalent so long as such variations do not encompass knownvalues practiced by the prior art. Each value or range of valuespreceded by the term “about” is also intended to encompass theembodiment of the stated absolute value or range of values. Whether ornot modified by the term “about,” quantitative values recited in thepresent disclosure include equivalents to the recited values, e.g.,variations in the numerical quantity of such values that can occur, butwould be recognized to be equivalents by a person skilled in the art.

Various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, oralternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systemsor applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipatedalternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may besubsequently made by those skilled in the art, each of which is alsointended to be encompassed by the disclosed embodiments.

1. An optical tracking system, comprising: a first tracker devicecomprising: first and second optical sensor modules; a firstnon-transitory computer readable medium comprising first instructionsstored thereon; and a first processor coupled to the firstnon-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to execute thestored first instructions to: capture first and second sets of one ormore background images, and first and second sets of current images,using the first and second optical sensor modules, respectively, whereinthe first and second sets of current images each comprise first, second,and third current images captured when first, second, and third lightsources are enabled, respectively, and the first and second sets of oneor more background images are captured when none of the light sources isenabled; determine whether a quality of at least one of the first,second, or third current images in at least one of the first or secondsets of current images is below a threshold quality level based on acomparison of each of the first, second, and third current images ineach of the first and second sets of current images to one or more ofthe one or more background images in the first and second sets of one ormore background images, respectively; and output an alert when thedetermination indicates the quality of at least one of the first,second, or third current images in at least one of the first or secondsets of current images is below the threshold quality level. 2-5.(canceled)
 6. The optical tracking system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a reference frame external to the first tracker device,wherein the reference frame comprises the light sources; and a drivercoupled to the reference frame and comprising an electronic circuitconfigured to alternately enable the light sources in sequence, whereinthe first processor is further configured to execute the stored firstinstructions to synchronize the capture of the first and second sets ofone or more background images, or first and second sets of currentimages, with the driver.
 7. The optical tracking system of claim 1,further comprising a second tracker device comprising: the lightsources; a third non-transitory computer readable medium comprisingthird instructions stored thereon; and a third processor coupled to thethird non-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to executethe stored third instructions to: alternately enable the light sourcesin sequence; and synchronize the enablement of the light sources withthe capture of the first and second sets of one or more backgroundimages, or first and second sets of current images, by the first trackerdevice.
 8. The optical tracking system of claim 1, wherein: the one ormore background images in each of the first and second sets of one ormore background images comprise first, second, and third backgroundimages; and the first processor is further configured to execute thestored first instructions to: alternately capture the first, second, andthird background images in each of the first and second sets ofbackground images with respect to the first, second, and third currentimages in the first and second sets of current images, respectively; anddetermine the quality of the first, second, and third current images ineach of the first and second sets of current images based on acomparison of each of the first, second, and third current images ineach of the first and second sets of current images to one of the first,second, or third background images in one of the first or second sets ofbackground images captured immediately prior to the capture of thefirst, second, and third current images in each of the first and secondsets of current images, respectively.
 9. The optical tracking system ofclaim 1, wherein: the one or more background images in each of the firstand second sets of one or more background images comprise a firstbackground image and a second background image; and the first processoris further configured to execute the stored first instructions to:capture the first and second background images prior to capture of thefirst, second, and third current images in the first and second sets ofcurrent images, respectively; and determine the quality of the first,second, and third current images in each of the first and second sets ofcurrent images based on a comparison of each of the first, second, andthird current images in each of the first and second sets of currentimages to the first and second background images, respectively.
 10. Theoptical tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first tracker devicefurther comprises an alert indicator and the first processor is furtherconfigured to execute the stored first instructions to illuminate thealert indicator to output the alert, wherein the output alert comprisesan indication of one of the first or second optical sensor modules thatcaptured the at least one of the first, second, or third current imagesin the at least one of the first or second sets of current images thatis below the threshold quality level.
 11. The optical tracking system ofclaim 1, wherein the first processor is further configured to executethe stored first instructions to send an alert message to a centralprocessor device to output the alert, wherein the alert messagecomprises another indication of one of the first or second opticalsensor modules that captured the at least one of the first, second, orthird current images in the at least one of the first or second sets ofcurrent images that is below the threshold quality level.
 12. Theoptical tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first processor isfurther configured to execute the stored first instructions to:determine whether an acquisition sequence is completed based on whetherthe first and second sets of one or more background images, and firstand second sets of current images, have been captured; and determinewhether the quality of the at least one of the first, second, or thirdcurrent images in the at least one of the first or second sets ofcurrent images is below the threshold quality level, when thedetermination indicates the acquisition sequence is completed.
 13. Theoptical tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first processor isfurther configured to execute the stored first instructions to determinewhether sufficient data has been obtained via the first and second setsof current images based on whether the determination indicates thequality of at least one of the first, second, or third current images inboth of the first or second sets of current images is below thethreshold quality level.
 14. The optical tracking system of claim 13,wherein the first processor is further configured to execute the storedfirst instructions to repeat at least the capture of the first andsecond sets of one or more background images, and first and second setsof current images, and the determination of whether the quality of theat least one of the first, second, or third current images in the atleast one of the first or second sets of current images is below thethreshold quality level, when the determination indicates insufficientdata has been obtained via the first and second sets of current images.15. The optical tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first processoris further configured to execute the stored first instructions todetermine whether the quality of the at least one of the first, second,or third current images in the at least one of the first or second setsof current images is below a threshold quality level further based onone or more of a difference in one or more pixel values, saturationlevel, or signal-to-noise ratio between corresponding ones of the firstand second sets of one or more background images and first and secondsets of current images.